Work in this thematic area focuses on prisons and police (including human rights in policing, healthcare in prisons and safeguards against torture and ill-treatment), human rights standards in the judiciary (focusing on enhancing the application of case-law of the European Court of Human Rights), the efficiency of justice systems (with a focus on analysing judicial statistics to optimise court administrations) and/or legal co-operation (which concentrate on increasing the individual independence of judges and prosecutors and the accountability of the judicial system).

Back Helping more than 2700 citizens in Albania to access their property rights

Albania 8 June 2026
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Helping more than 2700 citizens in Albania to access their property rights

For many people in Albania, securing access to property rights can be a challenging process, as procedures often involve complex legal and administrative steps, while clear and understandable information is not always readily available, making it sometimes hard for individuals and families to navigate the system with confidence. Through the support of the EU and Council of Europe joint Action on “Improving the protection of the right to property and facilitating execution of ECtHR judgments in Albania (D-REX III)”, the Tirana Legal Aid Society (TLAS) continued to provide free direct, practical assistance to those in need.       

Only between the period of January to May 2026, TLAS reached over 205 people through its property rights Helpline (+355 69 209 3731) and related awareness-raising activities, bringing the total to 2,720 citizens assisted since this initiative kicked off in 2023.

Behind these numbers are people seeking clear answers about matters that impact their homes, families, livelihoods. Most inquiries concern guidance on inheritance, legalisation of informal constructions, property ownership registration, agricultural land, marital property and compensation procedures. “Many callers faced uncertainty about which institution to approach, what documents were required, or how to follow administrative procedures” said Ms. Marsida Male, lawyer and support staff in the Helpline.

The assistance provided by TLAS staff via the Helpline complemented by awareness raising activities in various locations of Albania, has proven to be very helpful for local communities. They can better understand their property rights, clarify the necessary steps in specific cases, and receive legal orientation when they often lacked access to reliable information. “This assistance is particularly important for vulnerable groups, including Roma and Egyptian communities, as well as for women dealing with property-related problems in situations of divorce, widowhood, cohabitation, child maintenance and housing insecurity” said Ms. Renata Cenko, TLAS Executive Director.

Property rights issues in Albania remain closely linked to social vulnerability, family disputes and limited access to legal information, with recurring concerns including ownership of agricultural land in use, overlapping property ownership claims, incomplete registration and informal housing, especially in rural and peri-urban areas. Thanks to this initiative, legal information is now more accessible to Albanian citizens, empowering them to protect or claim their property rights.

The  HELPLINE 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), part of the joint European Union and Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”.

 

Actions under theme i: ensuring justice
  • Strengthening the quality and efficiency of justice in Albania - Phase III  
  • Supporting enforcement of judicial decisions and facilitating execution of ECtHR judgments in Albania           
  • Enhancing the protection of human rights of prisoners in Albania  
  • Strengthening human rights treatment of detained persons based on European standards and best practices in Bosnia and Herzegovina  
  • Strengthening the quality and efficiency of justice in Kosovo* -  Phase II  
  • Accountability of the judicial system in Montenegro - Phase II  
  • Improved procedural safeguards in judicial proceedings in Montenegro  
  • Further enhancing human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Montenegro  
  • Strengthening independence and accountability of the judiciary in Serbia  
  • Strengthening the effective legal remedies to human rights violations in Serbia  
  • Enhancing the human rights protection for detained and sentenced persons in Serbia  
  • Supporting enhanced access to higher quality Free Legal Aid services in North Macedonia  
  • Enhancing the capacities of the penitentiary system and the external oversight mechanism in North Macedonia                                                                                                                                                                                                 
  • Supporting the implementation and reporting on the Action Plan on Human Rights in Turkey  
  • Judicial training institutes for Quality and Sustainability in the Western Balkans 
  • Initiative for legal certainty in the Western Balkans  
  • Enhancing penitentiary capacities in addressing radicalisation in prisons in the Western Balkans  
  • Towards a better evaluation of the results of judicial reform efforts in the Western Balkans  
  • Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) in the Western Balkans 
  • PACE cooperation with the parliamentary assemblies with a view to achieving legislative improvements in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia and Serbia 

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.