News on ensuring justice
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...
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...
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...
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...
Раководни службеници на затворската полиција ги унапредија своите капацитети за спречување на несоодветното постапување во Северна Македонија
Дваесет и двајца раководни службеници на затворската полиција од сите 12 пенитенцијарни установи ги зајакнаа своите капацитети за спречување на несоодветно постапување и прописно пријавување на инциденти, придонесувајќи кон поголема одговорност и заштита на човековите права во затворите....
Authorities in North Macedonia extend their skills in supporting violent extremist prisoners during the preparation for and after release
A cornerstone of the effective reintegration of violent extremist prisoners (VEPs) and other prisoners prone to radicalisation is the efficient inter-institutional co-operation. In the efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism in line with European standards, the EU and Council of Europe...
Albania Deepens Co-operation with Council of Europe on European Court Judgment Execution
A delegation from the Albanian State Advocate’s Office participated in a study visit to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg, aimed at strengthening institutional dialogue and advancing the effective execution of the European Court of Human Rights judgments in Albania. Organised under the joint...
From listening to change inside prison treatment work
In Novi Pazar District Prison, rehabilitation work is grounded in understanding the people behind behaviour. For treatment officer Ilda Imamović, this means looking beyond actions to the stories behind them. “My job is not only to implement treatment programmes, but also to try to understand...
Partners review progress and priorities to strengthen property rights protection in Albania
"At the heart of the Council of Europe’s work are people: their dignity, their rights, and their trust in justice and public institutions, and this is also why the D-REX Action continues to matter." was highlighted by the Head of the Council of Europe Office in Tirana, Giulia Re, during the 5th...
New practical guidelines support judges and prosecutors in applying ethical standards in Montenegro
Montenegro has taken another important step towards strengthening judicial integrity and public trust through the adoption of practical Guidelines for the implementation of the Codes of Ethics for judges and state prosecutors. Following the adoption of the new Codes of Ethics in 2025, the...
Strengthening implementation of judicial evaluation procedures in Serbia
Members of the Commission for the Evaluation of the Work of Judges and Court Presidents improved their knowledge and practical skills on implementing judicial evaluation procedures during a two-day training organised in cooperation with the High Judicial Council. The training focused on the...
Единицата за интервенции на затворската полиција на Северна Македонија се стекна искуство од полските колеги
Припадниците на Единицата за интервенции на затворската полиција на Северна Македонија ја оствари првата службена студиска посета во Варшава, разменувајќи искуство и најдобри практики со полската интервентна група на затворската служба (ПСИГ). Делегацијата беше водена од в.д. директорот на...
Cognitive Behavior Therapy successfully piloted in four Albanian prisons
The European Union and Council of Europe are assisting the Albanian Prison Service in delivering the Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), aimed at better preparing prisoners for release. In this framework, on 23 June 2026, an evaluation visit was conducted in Fier Prison by a team composed of a...
Legal practitioners in Albania strengthen expertise on the application of European Court of Human Rights case-law on property rights
Over 60 Albanian legal practitioners representing key justice institutions, including the State Advocate, the Supreme Court, the Constitutional Court and regular courts, boosted their expertise to protect property rights and support the effective execution of related judgments of the European...
Free Legal Aid in North Macedonia: Achievements and priorities discussed with key actors
Main achieved milestones and future priorities in the efforts to advance free legal aid in North Macedonia were the focus of the discussion with key beneficiaries and actors in the field, during the 7th Steering Committee meeting of the EU and Council of Europe joint action “Towards a...
Bringing property rights closer to citizens through clearer and accessible cadastral services
Access to clear and practical information is essential for safeguarding property rights, especially when it comes to owning home, land and property. While navigating cadastral procedures can often seem complex, these processes are essential to ensure that property is safe and protected. To...
Поддржување на ресоцијализацијата и рехабилитацијата на осудените лица во Северна Македонија: ЕУ и Советот на Европа им помагаат на затворските установи
Службениците за ресоцијализација се дел од системите на казнено право, затворите и центрите за рехабилитација, кои помагаат во реинтеграцијата на осудените лица во општеството. Нивната главна цел е да им се помогне на овие лица во адаптирање кон социјалните норми, градењето на нови способности,...
How to ensure Free Legal Aid?
(Turkish)
(Turkish)
How to ensure Free Legal Aid?
(Albanian)
How to ensure Free Legal Aid?
(Macedonian)
Free Legal Aid Poster 
Flickr
Ограничен пристап на страната