On 23 June, the Department for the Execution of Judgments participated in a specialised training, held in Tirana, for Albanian judges and legal advisors on the application of the European Court of Human Rights’ case-law concerning property confiscation and asset freezing. Sixty participants attended the session, organised in the framework of the Council of Europe project “Improving the protection of the right to property and facilitating execution of ECtHR judgments in Albania”, part of the joint European Union/Council of Europe programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”, in cooperation with the School of Magistrates.
The discussions focused on the standards established under Article 1 of Protocol No. 1 to the European Convention on Human Rights and their application in domestic proceedings. Participants exchanged on challenges related to the execution of the Court’s judgments in Albania, notably concerning enforcement of domestic decisions, restitution of property, and compensation mechanisms (cf. Ramaj v. Albania, Sharxhi and Others v. Albania, and the Manushaqe Puto v. Albania group of cases).
Special attention was given to asset-related measures such as freezing and confiscation. The need to establish a fair balance between effective crime control and property rights was explored across various proceedings, including criminal, administrative, and border control proceedings. Topics such as provisional freezing, confiscation as a sanction, extended confiscation, and non-conviction-based regimes were also examined.
Comparative examples from Bulgaria, Italy, the United Kingdom and Romania enriched the dialogue and provided practical insight. The participants exchanged on experiences and approaches, thus supporting the ongoing efforts to align the domestic practice with European human rights standards and strengthen the protection of property rights in Albania.
News item published by the CoE Office in Tirana
