The IQC is one of three institutions tasked with vetting judges and prosecutors in Albania.
BIRN Albania sought the records from the IQC in 2022. After the IQC refused to release them, an FoI complaint was filed with the Commissioner on the Right to Information. The Commissioner ruled in BIRN’s favour but the IQC filed a countersuit against his decision.
In the First Instance Administrative Court in Tirana, BIRN Albania journalist Edmond Hoxhaj joined the case as a third party. When the court ruled in favour of the IQC, Hoxhaj appealed. On January 23, 2024 the Administrative Court reversed its verdict, upholding the earlier decision of the Commissioner for the Right to Information.
The IQC then appealed in the Supreme Court, which has ruled in favour of public transparency, upholding the Administrative Court verdict.