The Council of Europe assisted the Albanian Ministry of Justice in devising a 4-year Action Plan on development of the penitentiary system (2019-2022). The final draft of the Action Plan was presented to relevant interlocutors at a round table that took place in Tirana on 26 February 2019.

The participants discussed the draft objectives and actions and provided their feedback that will be taken into consideration by the Ministry of Justice during the finalisation and adoption phase. It was acknowledged that the draft plan sets a very clear mission that could be achieved by thorough and cross-section implementation of the outputs devised under the specific objectives. All participants agreed that only a professional prison service can provide a safe, humane, and secure custody that guarantees the protection of the rights and dignity of persons deprived of liberty and providing them with rehabilitation opportunities, for safer communities.

The event was attended by 30 representatives from the Ministry of Justice, the Directorate General on Prisons, the Ombudsman office, civil society and representatives from the international donor community present in the country. The session was facilitated by three Council of Europe consultants.

The round table was organised under the auspices of the project “Support to the prison reform and fight against radicalisation in prisons”, funded by the UK Embassy in Tirana and implemented by the Council of Europe.