News on ensuring justice
Legal professionals in Serbia improve their knowledge on the Prohibition of Ill Treatment
A launching event for the tutored online course on the Prohibition of Ill-treatment has brought together 25 judges and prosecutors from Serbia to strengthen their knowledge in effectively applying the European Court of Human Rights standards concerning the prohibition of ill-treatment. The course...
Strengthening the professional evaluation of state prosecutors in Montenegro
A round table on the professional evaluation of heads of prosecution offices and state prosecutors in Montenegro, held in Podgorica on 26 October, brought together prosecutors from Montenegro, Slovenia, Romania and Serbia, alongside representatives of international organisations, civil society...
Montenegro establishes its first Chamber of Court Experts
Montenegro has established its first Chamber of Court Experts under the new Law on Court Experts, which entered into force on 17 July 2026. At the inaugural Assembly, held in accordance with the secondary legislation prepared with the Council of Europe support, the Chamber’s governing bodies were...
Serbia’s appellate courts and Supreme Court join efforts to harmonise case law
Two joint sessions bringing together Serbia’s appellate courts were held in October 2026, with the aim to promote greater consistency in judicial practice. The first session, held in Nis on 9 October brought together the representatives of the criminal departments of the Appellate Courts and the...
Serbia’s High Prosecutorial Council discusses priorities for the future
Strengthening prosecutorial independence, addressing institutional challenges and preparing for upcoming legal reforms were at the centre of the Third Professional Conference of the High Prosecutorial Council, held in Kopaonik from 19 to 21 October 2026. The Conference titled “New composition of...
Inter-institutional co-operation, a necessity for the rehabilitation and reintegration of Violent Extremist Prisoners
A clear definition and division of institutional roles and well-defined operational procedures among prisons, probation services, and other relevant stakeholders are essential for an effective inter-agency co-operation in the efforts to prevent radicalisation and violent extremism. This can...
North Macedonia’s Prison Police Intervention Teams: Strengthening Accountability and Expanding Knowledge of Applicable Standards
Applying the domestic legal framework and operational procedures in line with the European Prison Rules, and relevant best practices, was the focus of the exchange with the Prison Police Intervention Teams in North Macedonia, held on 24-25 September 2026. Established two years ago, these teams...
PRESS RELEASE
From European standards to everyday impact: Albania marks a decade of European Union – Council of Europe programme co-operation
Over the past decade, the partnership between Albania, the European Union and the Council of Europe has translated ambition into action, delivering lasting change for institutions, professionals and communities. This co-operation under the “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye”...
Strengthening Montenegro’s safeguards for people deprived of their liberty
Professionals responsible for monitoring places of detention in Montenegro have strengthened their ability to manage the emotional demands of their work helping them remain focused, objective and responsive when assessing the treatment and conditions of people deprived of their liberty. A...
Serbian judges explore ways to safeguard judicial independence
How can the judiciary safeguard its independence while maintaining constructive relations with the executive and legislative branches of power? This question was at the centre of a conference organised by the Judges Association of Serbia in Belgrade, where participants discussed European...
Montenegro: Amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code strengthen victims’ rights
The amendments to the Criminal Procedure Code of Montenegro entered into force on 17 September 2026, strengthening the legal framework for the protection and participation of victims in criminal proceedings, among other changes. The revised framework introduces a definition of the term “victim”...
Serbian judicial representatives exchange experiences on safeguarding judicial independence in France
Representatives of Serbia’s judicial and prosecutorial institutions visited Paris and Strasbourg from 21 to 23 September 2026 to discuss safeguards against undue influence on judges and prosecutors. The study visit brought together members of the High Judicial Council and the High Prosecutorial...
From laws to practice: Montenegro strengthens victims’ rights
Judges, prosecutors and other criminal justice practitioners and service providers participated in a two-day training aimed at strengthening the protection of victims and supporting the effective implementation of recent legislative amendments enhancing victims’ rights throughout criminal...
Kosovo* institutions strengthen co-operation on rehabilitation and reintegration of persons vulnerable to radicalisation
Representatives of Kosovo’s probation, correctional and other relevant institutions gathered in Pristina to strengthen their skills and co-operation in support of a more efficient rehabilitation, reintegration and post-release process for violent extremist prisoners and offenders. The Kosovo...
National Co-ordination Body for Free Legal Aid in North Macedonia addresses key developments and future reform of the legal aid system
Main developments in the implementation of the free legal aid framework in North Macedonia and key priorities for further strengthening the system were discussed during the 18th Meeting of the National Coordination Body for Free Legal Aid. The event brought together around 60 representatives of...
Strengthening mediation to make dispute resolution more effective in Bosnia and Herzegovina
How can mediation become more effective in Bosnia and Herzegovina? This was a key focus of discussions at a two-day workshop organised on 17 and 18 September 2026 in Vlašić, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The workshop followed an observation visit conducted on 27 and 28 April in Sarajevo, Banja Luka and...
New compendium brings Albanian Supreme Court case law closer to European standards
A new four-volume collection of selected case law of the Supreme Court of Albania developed with the support of the European Union and the Council of Europe, is now available to Albanian judges, magistrates and legal professionals. It aims to promote a more consistent, accessible and predictable...
Breaking the cycle: Transforming violent extremist prisoners in the Western Balkans
Violent Extremist Prisoners and Offenders (VEP/O-s) are individuals whose crimes were shaped not only by personal circumstance but also by radical and dangerous ideologies. Managing and rehabilitating these prisoners presents an extraordinary challenge for authorities in the Western Balkans. In...
Preparing judges in Serbia for a new approach to performance evaluation
Members of the Commission for the Evaluation of the Work of Judges and court presidents in Serbia strengthened their knowledge and practical skills to apply new procedures for evaluating judicial performance. Two two-day sessions, organised in co-operation with the High Judicial Council, focused...
Improving forensic psychiatric patients’ treatment in Lezha provisional facility
Forensic psychiatric patients accommodated in Lezha provisional facility will benefit from enhanced services and support thanks to the assistance provided by EU and Council of Europe to the Albanian Prison Service which is aiming to improve internal categorisation and their treatment. Two experts...
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