Albania - annual report 2015
- Details
- Published: May 18, 2016
Seminar in Tirana on the law on constitutional procedure and on human rights protection: Kujtim Osmani, Secretary-General; Prof. Dr. Jan Bergmann, Presiding Judge at Stuttgart Administrative Court; Aleksander Toma, Chef de Cabinet (left to right)
Strategic framework
Legal policy starting point
The reform of the legal and economic systems poses a particular challenge for the Republic of Albania because of the country's political past. The reform has suffered several setbacks. In particular the civil war-like unrest in 1997 can be mentioned here. The reform process reached a new phase when the Stabilisation and Association Agreement with the EU came into effect and Albania submitted its application for EU membership in April 2009. Even though Albania was granted official candidate status by the EU in June 2014, further progress needs to be made on important reforms. This is necessary regardless of the fact that successes have already been achieved in Albania in both economic and political terms. These reforms particularly relate to public administration and the judiciary. Further topics are corruption and organised crime, as well as safeguarding human rights.
Overall concept
The IRZ has been operating in Albania since the spring of 2000 within the German contribution to the Stability Pact for South Eastern Europe. Since then, the IRZ has been offering events and consultation on the organisation of the judiciary and in the field of legislation, as well as providing basic and further training for lawyers in various legal fields.
In this regard, support for the Albanian Ministry of Justice within the EU-funded EURALIUS and EURALIUS II projects formed a focus of the IRZ's project activities in Albania from 2005 until mid-2010. The large number of bilateral activities with important partners in Albania, including the Ministry of Justice, the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court, the Office of the Public Prosecutor General and the Judicial Academy, should also be stressed, and the IRZ has been able to further expand these in recent years. The basic and further training of lawyers was a particular focus here. Finally, the IRZ continued implementing the EURALIUS IV project in 2015.
Foci of activity in 2015
Constitutional law / human rights and their enforceability
- Seminar in Tirana entitled "Constitutional law and public relations in Supreme Courts"
Civil and commercial law
- Seminar in Tirana entitled "Family conflict and protection of the best interests of children in an international context"
Public law
- Seminar in Durres entitled "Administrative law in Supreme Court practice"
- Seminar in Tirana entitled "Administrative law"
EU project
Outlook
The IRZ will be concentrating in 2016 on the further implementation of the EU's EURALIUS IV project. It will also continue its cooperation with the Constitutional Court, the Supreme Court and the Judicial Academy. These institutions have already submitted enquiries regarding seminars and workshops which build on the previous year's events.