A new four-volume collection of selected case law of the Supreme Court of Albania developed with the support of the European Union and the Council of Europe, is now available to Albanian judges, magistrates and legal professionals. It aims to promote a more consistent, accessible and predictable application of the law.
This publication brings together key developments in the Supreme Court’s jurisprudence (2022-2026), strengthening domestic capacities and supporting the harmonised application of legal standards. It will also contribute to closer alignment with the case law of the European Court and ultimately reinforce legal certainty for citizens in Albania.
It consists of three thematic volumes dedicated respectively to the Civil, Administrative and Criminal Chambers of the Supreme Court, and a fourth one devoted to relevant case law of the European Court, concerning the Supreme Court of Albania.
Volume II - selected decisions of the Administrative College, with particular attention to property valuation and compensation, civil service relations and legal aid, providing guidance on matters such as judicial competence, procedural time limits, the burden of proof on public authorities, valuation methodology and the legal treatment of property compensation.
Volume III - significant decisions of the Criminal College concerning security measures, preliminary hearings and summary trial proceedings, showcasing the Supreme Court’s role in resolving divergent approaches, clarifying the interpretation of the Criminal Procedure Code and strengthening alignment between domestic practice and ECtHR standards. Complementing the domestic case law, Volume IV compiles selected judgments of the European Court of Human Rights relating to the Supreme Court of Albania, focusing on legal certainty, access to court, length of proceedings, reasoning of judicial decisions, property rights, proportionality of pre-trial detention and procedural safeguards.
Beyond documenting individual judgments, the collection is designed as a practical working instrument. It also supports dialogue between domestic courts and the European Court, contributing to greater legal certainty, more consistent judicial practice and protection of fundamental rights.
Presented during the roundtable “Security measures: the unifying decision of the Supreme Court of Albania and the jurisprudence of the European Court of Human Rights”, organised by the Council of Europe project “Strengthening the capacities of the Albanian judiciary to better apply standards on the right to liberty and security”, funded by the Human Rights Trust Fund (HRTF), the compendium is supported by the Action on “Improving the protection of the right to property and facilitating the execution of ECtHR judgments in Albania (D-REX III)”, implemented under the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.
