News on ensuring justice
Aligning property deprivation procedures with European standards
A series of judgments by the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) against Serbia has highlighted the need for clearer interpretation and application of rules on property deprivation in criminal and misdemeanor proceedings. On this topic, 60 participants from the judiciary, prosecution,...
Regional round table on human rights and environmental protection: Prosecutorial responsibilities in criminal law
On 29 and 30 September, 36 prosecutors and inspectors from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia, Kosovo*, North Macedonia, and Montenegro gathered for a regional round table on Human Rights and Environmental Protection: Prosecutorial Responsibilities in Criminal Law. The event created a...
Closing the gender gap by addressing judicial data challenges
Experts from the Western Balkans and Eastern Partnership regions met in Budapest to discuss how better data collection help close the gender gap in justice systems. The roundtable brought together representatives from Ministries of Justice, National Statistics Institutes, Istanbul Convention...
Citizens in Skopje, Bitola, and Shtip to receive Primary Free Legal Aid at the Civil Registry Offices
As of today, citizens of Skopje, Bitola, and Shtip can receive primary legal aid services at the Civil Registry Offices. Three mobile teams, composed of representatives from civil society organisations authorised to provide free legal aid as well as legal clinic students, were established to...
Strengthening victim protection in criminal cases in Montenegro
Montenegro is moving toward more consistent protection for victims of serious crimes with the first working group meeting held to draft the Guidelines for enhancing judicial practices in compensating the victims. Through a clearly defined recommendations, the Guidelines will provide expert and...
Strategy for the Protection of Victims’ Rights: final public consultations take place in Montenegro
As part of the public consultation process to discuss the Draft Strategy for the Protection of Victims’ Rights and related Action Plan for its implementation, a round-table was held in Podgorica. Montenegro is in the final phase of developing its first national Strategy for the protection of...
Albanian Supreme Court learns from Portuguese experience to strengthen efficiency
A delegation from the Documentation Centre of the Supreme Court of Albania concluded an exchange visit in Lisbon focused on strengthening case management and judicial research practices, in line with European standards. 12 legal advisors and staff members met with representatives of key judicial...
Judges and prosecutors from the Western Balkans equipped to counter barriers to women’s access to justice
Judges and prosecutors from across the Western Balkans gathered in Budapest for a pioneering three-day training to champion gender equality in justice. From 22-24 September the thirty-four legal professionals from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia ...
Delegation from North Macedonia learns from Dutch experience in ensuring equal justice for all citizens
Legal aid professionals and policymakers from North Macedonia concluded a three-day study visit to the Netherlands, gaining first-hand insights into one of the world’s most advanced legal aid systems. The visit is part of the ongoing EU and Council of Europe efforts to strengthen access to...
Collaboration for change: fostering women’s rights through stronger local partnerships in Türkiye
Commitment, collaboration, and solidarity were at the forefront in Ankara as civil society organisations working in the field of women’s rights, bar associations and municipalities from across Türkiye, and international partners convened for the Final Review Meeting: Collective Impact for Women’s...
Youth in North Macedonia invited to share their vision on justice and equality in drawing and essay competition
The Council of Europe Programme Office in Skopje, is once again marking the European Day of Justice in North Macedonia, this time with a drawing and essay competition, under the slogan “Let’s bring justice closer to the citizens”. This initiative invites children and young people from North...
Final cascade training strengthens lawyers’ expertise on immigration detention
As many as 36 lawyers from the Gaziantep Bar Association deepened their knowledge of European and international human rights standards during the 10th and final cascade training on Detention in the Context of Migration held on 25–26 September 2025 in Gaziantep. Organised under the European Union...
Albanian judges drive judicial harmonisation with European Court standards
Over 40 judges and senior legal advisors from Albania’s Supreme Court and appeal courts participated in the Judicial Harmonisation Forum to strengthen uniform and coherent judicial practices, in line with the standards of the European Court of Human Rights (The Court). During the two-day forum,...
Towards victim-centered justice: Training for judges and prosecutors
Judges and prosecutors from across Montenegro participated in a specialised capacity-building activity on 18–19 September, aimed at improving the justice system’s response to victims of crime. Organised in cooperation with the Judicial Training Centre, the workshop focused on equipping legal...
Improving the pre-release preparation and post-penal support in North Macedonia
North Macedonia is successfully piloting the Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) on pre-release preparation and post-penal support. Introduced as a novelty in the 2024, the SOP specifies the course of actions in the process prior to and after the release of sentenced persons. To assist the...
Prosecutorial authorities devise Guidelines for communicating in crisis situations
According to the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice’s (CEPEJ) Guide on communication with the media and public for courts and prosecution authorities, judicial power is the least visible to citizens, as it least intervenes in the public debate. As a result, the function of justice...
Uvodi se elektronsko upravljanje podacima u zatvorima u Bosni i Hercegovini
Evropska unija i Vijeće Evrope nastavljaju pružati podršku uvođenju elektronskog sistema prikupljanja, čuvanja i razmjene podataka vezanih za zatvore u Bosni i Hercegovini. Nova kompjuterska oprema koja je donirana kroz zajednički EU/VE program “Horizontal Facility za Zapadni Balkan i Tursku...
Grupa bosanskohercegovačkih stručnjaka sačinjava nacrt priručnika za forenziku
Radna grupa sastavljena od zatvorskih službenika i službenika za provođenje zakona se sastala putem video poziva 25. juna 2020 radi sačinjavanja priručnika za međuagencijsku saradnju u vezi sa tretmanom i resocijalizacijom forenzičkih pacijenata u Bosni i Hercegovini. Svrha ovog priručnika je...
“Videoconference in Court proceedings & human rights standards” – Regional Roundtable with Legal Professionals
Judiciaries in the Western Balkans faced extraordinary challenges created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The courts are required to comply with restriction measures while ensuring the right to a fair trial. As a result, many of them resorted to the increased use of online tools to conduct hearings. To...
Emergency Situations – Summary of general reports and opinions of the Venice Commission
The Scientific Council of the Venice Commission has prepared a compilation of the Commission's general reports and country-specific opinions on constitutional provisions and legislation on emergency situations. This document facilitates access to the Commission’s analysis of the compatibility of...
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