Ligj

Ligj is the Albanian word for law, referring to written legal rules or statutes enacted by a legislative authority. In contemporary usage, ligjet regulate areas such as civil, criminal, administrative, and commercial matters, and they form the basis of the formal legal order in Albania and in Albanian-speaking regions.

In modern Albanian governance, ligjet are typically drafted by the government or members of parliament, debated in committees, and adopted by the parliament (Kuvendi). After approval, the president promulgates the law, and it is published in the Official Gazette (Fletorja Zyrtare), at which point it becomes enforceable. The constitution stands as the supreme legal document, and ligjet must conform to its provisions.

Ligj is distinct from kanun, which refers to customary or traditional law that historically governed daily life in certain regions or communities. While kanun reflects customary norms and practices, ligjet are formal statutory rules created through a legislative process and intended to have nationwide application.

Etymology for ligj is not definitively established in simple terms, but the word has long been used in Albanian to denote formal law. The term continues to be a central concept in Albanian legal language, appearing in titles such as ligji i ri (the new law) or ligjet ekzistuese (the existing laws).