News on ensuring justice
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...
Montenegro strengthens judicial independence with new Law on salaries of judges and prosecutors
The Parliament of Montenegro adopted the Law on Salaries of Holders of Judicial Functions, introducing a unified framework for the salaries, related rights and retirement of judges and prosecutors, including judges of the Constitutional Court. The new legal framework, which will apply from 1...
Strategic communication for a more open and transparent Constitutional Court in Montenegro
The Constitutional Court of Montenegro is strengthening its capacity for strategic and crisis communication, with a focus on greater openness, transparency and public trust. A workshop, co-organised with EUROL 4, brought together judges and the Court’s public relations team to support the...
Modernising Kosovo's Prosecution System: Digital Tools for a Stronger Justice
Petrit Kryeziu, Chief of the Basic Prosecution Office in Prizren, uses the Case Management Information System (CMIS) to manage his caseload and generate the new decision templates. These decisions templates, recently integrated into Kosovo*’s judicial system, simplify and streamline prosecution...
Albania strengthens prison staff preparedness to manage and rehabilitate violent extremist prisoners
A new training framework developed with the support of the European Union and the Council of Europe will help Albanian prison practitioners strengthen their skills in detecting signs of radicalisation, managing violent extremist prisoners (VEPs) and supporting their rehabilitation and...
Albanian probation professionals pave the way for stronger professional development
Probation professionals from across Albania have identified key steps to strengthen the capacity-building system of the Albanian Probation Service, including induction, continuous professional development and the development of internal expertise to support more effective rehabilitation and...
New approach strengthens the evaluation of work of judges in Serbia
Members of the Commission for the Evaluation of the Work of Judges and court presidents increased their knowledge and skills on various aspects of implementation of new rules on performance assessment of judges during a two-day training organised in co-operation with the High Judicial Council....
Colors Beyond Bars: Transformative Power of Art Therapy in Serbian Prisons
Over the years, the Directorate for Execution of Criminal Sanctions in Serbia has recognised the profound role that creative workshops and art therapy play in rehabilitation of prisoners. By fostering creativity and self-expression, these programmes offer inmates a chance to process their...
Montenegro adopts two important laws strengthening victims’ rights
On 31 July 2026, Montenegro adopted two important pieces of legislation aimed at strengthening the protection and rights of victims of violence: the Law on Protection from Violence against Women and Domestic Violence and amendments to the Law on Compensation for Victims of Criminal Offences of...
Advancing Women’s Access to Justice in the Western Balkans: Reflections on the Spanish experience
mentors of the second cohort of the Mentoring Programme for Legal Professionals on Women’s Access to Justice took part in a study visit to Madrid, Spain. The mentors came from all six beneficiaries of the Horizontal Facility programme in the Western Balkans. The study visit, hosted by the...
Serbian court presidents and justice institutions strengthen skills on court management
Court presidents and representatives of relevant judicial institutions from Serbia were part of a capacity building activity organised in Belgrade by the Supreme Court with the support of the EU and Council of Europe joint action “Strengthening legal culture in Serbia and the capacities of the...
Initial Screening for prisoners with mental health disorders successfully piloted in Albanian prisons and remand facilities
With support from the European Union and the Council of Europe, the Albanian Prison Service has rolled out an Initial Screening for prisoners with mental health disorders as a health care priority from day one of their admission. The new approach, launched in March 2026, with a capacity-building...
Making victims’ right to compensation work in practice in Montenegro
An event dedicated to enhancing the procedural rights of victims in criminal proceedings, with a particular focus on the right to compensation, was held in Podgorica. The training brought together representatives of judicial institutions and the Bar Association aiming to provide floor for...
Senior prison police officers strengthen capacity to prevent ill-treatment in North Macedonia
Twenty-two senior prison police officers from all 12 penitentiary facilities have strengthened their capacity to prevent ill-treatment, and ensure proper reporting of incidents, contributing to greater accountability and protection of human rights in prisons. The two-day capacity building...
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