Back Transparency of Court Communication Strengthens Albanian Judiciary

Transparency of Court Communication Strengthens Albanian Judiciary

Albania’s justice system is evolving to deliver not just equal justice, but also greater trust and transparency through open, effective communication. Recognising the judiciary’s key role in building public confidence, a dedicated workshop was recently held in Tirana with support from the EU and the Council of Europe.

The workshop gathered court presidents and judges responsible for media relations and public communication. Participants discussed CEPEJ guidelines and best practices for developing effective court communication plans. These efforts are intended to strengthen communication between the judiciary, the media, and the public, while enhancing transparency, building public trust, and understanding of the justice system.

During the workshop, participants   benefited from the expertise CEPEJ expert who shared France’s experience in implementing the CEPEJ Communication Guide.  The discussion highlighted best practices in communication between judges and the media and took a closer look at the development and implementation of the communication plan of the French Court of Cassation.

During the training, local judges participated in practical exercises on developing communication plans for their respective courts, tailored to the specific context of the Albanian judicial system.

This activity is organised under the action Strengthening the Efficiency and Quality of Justice in Albania (SEJIV), within the framework of the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe, Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe, and implemented by the Council of Europe.

Tirana, Albania 15 May 2026
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The Action Strengthening the efficiency and quality of Justice in Albania (SEJIV) is supporting the justice governing institutions and courts in the implementation of the reforms aimed at increasing the efficiency and quality of justice system based on the CEPEJ tools and methodologies as adapted in the Albanian context. The action is implemented within the joint programme of the European Union and the Council of Europe Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye, running from 2023 until 2026.

What is the goal(s) and objective(s) of the action?

The main goal of the action is that the judiciary institutions become more transparent and efficient through improved court management and performance, improved quality of services for users in accordance with CEPEJ standards and tools, and supported by a wider use of IT and online tools.

More concretely the action aims to:

  •  further raise the capacities of judicial institutions and courts to improve the collection, processing and analysis of judicial statistics.
  • expand the use of alternative dispute resolution.

Who benefits from the action?

  • Beneficiaries and partner institutions including: Ministry of Justice, High Judicial Council, High Prosecutorial Council, School of Magistrates, General Prosecution Office, High Inspector of Justice, as well as Courts
  • Legal Professionals in the field including the Bar Association, National Chamber of Mediation court administrators, judges and prosecutors
  • Court users in Albania

How does the action work?

The action builds upon the results of the previous phases of the programme and will use a step-by-step approach with regular monitoring of the reform process and engagement of key beneficiaries in all activities.

The action will provide out assessments’ activities in strong collaboration with beneficiaries and provide recommendation reports to all relevant institutions in both governing and court level.

Court coaching activities will be organized aiming to offer hands on experience to the reorganized courts, using the opportunity of the implementation of the new judicial map.

The Action will implement activities such as needs assessments, targeted court coach activities, review of regulatory framework, training seminars and workshops, study visits, placements/internships, Training of Trainers, participation of beneficiaries to the CEPEJ Working Groups, expertise to beneficiaries working groups etc.

What do we expect to achieve?

During its implementation the action will contribute towards:

  • A transparent and efficient judicial system which provides better services to the citizens of Albania in accordance with CEPEJ standards and tools;
  • Strengthened capacities of judicial institutions and courts regarding collection, processing and analysis of judicial statistics;
  • Extended use of alternative dispute resolution in the justice system in Albania.

 What is the budget of the action?

  • The total budget of the action is 859,000 Euros.
  • The budget allocated to the overall Horizontal Facility programme amounts to ca. 41 Million EUR (85% funded by the European Union, 15% by the Council of Europe).

How to get more information?

About Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye?

The Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye is a joint initiative of the European Union and the Council of Europe that enables the Western Balkans Beneficiaries and Türkiye to meet their reform agendas in the fields of human rights, rule of law and democracy and to comply with the European standards, which is also a priority for the EU enlargement process.