Horizontal Facility - Vijesti
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”...
New manual helps police detect human trafficking and protect victims in North Macedonia
A new training Manual is in the hands of the police officers in North Macedonia to help them recognise possible cases of trafficking in human beings (THB), respond safely and lawfully and protect victims’ rights. The Manual is a result of the support from the EU and Council of Europe joint action...
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...
Roundtable on the execution of the Stanimirović v. Serbia group of judgments: effective investigations into ill-treatment by the police
A roundtable on the execution of the judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the Stanimirović v. Serbia group of cases, concerning ill-treatment by the police and the lack of effective investigations into such allegations, took place on 1 October in Belgrade. The roundtable...
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”...
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...
Judges discuss stronger protection for journalists in Bosnia and Herzegovina
How should courts respond when journalists face violence, threats or legal pressure because of their work? This was at the centre of discussions among judges from across Bosnia and Herzegovina at a Council of Europe workshop focused on judicial protection of journalists and media freedom. The...
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...
Protector of Citizens’ report calls for continued action to strengthen the response to trafficking in human beings
The third Report on trafficking in human beings in Serbia highlights progress in Serbia’s response, while pointing to areas where further action is needed to strengthen the identification and protection of victims and the prosecution of traffickers. The report, presented by Zoran Pašalić,...
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...
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...
New research brings evidence into Serbia’s media literacy efforts
The Council of Europe and the Regulatory Authority for Electronic Media (REM) jointly presented the findings of comprehensive research on the needs, habits and preferences of media users in Serbia to the Permanent Expert Working Group on Media Literacy, consisted of representatives from public...
From Dialogue to Action: Strengthening Journalists’ Safety in North Macedonia
A free press depends on the safety of those who work within it. In North Macedonia, main stakeholders are taking concrete steps to strengthen the safety of journalists in reality. Representatives of public institutions, the judiciary, prosecution, media and journalists’ organisations, civil...
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...
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...
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...
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 effective financial investigations linked to human trafficking in North Macedonia
Judges, prosecutors, investigators, lawyers, and other key actors in North Macedonia are now better equipped to prosecute traffickers and recover illegal profits, as a result of a specialised training supported by the EU and Council of Europe and implemented in co-operation with the Academy for...
Assisting local actors in North Macedonia to advance access to public information in line with European standards and practice
Representatives of public institutions in North Macedonia strengthened their knowledge and practical skills on access to public information, during a specialised capacity-building activity organised in Skopje. within the European Union and Council of Europe joint programme “Horizontal Facility...
Youth Caravan against Discrimination sets off across Serbia
The Youth Caravan against Discrimination set off from Belgrade today, bringing together young people from Belgrade, Aranđelovac, Sjenica, Novi Pazar, Prijepolje and Požega over the coming days to talk about how to recognise discrimination, respond to hate speech and celebrate differences, and how...
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