In order to address a core institutional need of the State Cadastre Agency (SCA) to ensure that citizens consistently receive clear and helpful communication, a workshop was organised in Tirana with the support of the EU and Council of Europe. More than 45 staff from the Agency and its regional offices came together in Tirana for a two-day training on effective and citizen-focused communication. The initiative equipped SCA with practical tools to improve transparency, strengthen public trust, and ensure better service delivery to Albanian citizens on their property rights.

Through interactive sessions, role-play, and group discussions, participants worked on real-life communication challenges, from managing complex inquiries to explaining institutional procedures in plain language.

Opening the event, Lorena Goxhobelli, SCA Director General, underlined the importance of public-facing communication: “Our responsibility as an institution is not only to resolve property issues, but to make sure every citizen feels informed and respected throughout the process. Communication is key to achieving this.”

Giulia Re, Head of the Council of Europe Office in Tirana, reflected on the human dimension of public service, saying: “We are not just dealing with documents or procedures, we are dealing with people’s homes, inheritance, and identity. In these situations, how we speak matters just as much as what we say. Communication is not a soft skill, it is a core governance skill.”
She further emphasised that implementing the SCA’s Communication Strategy requires ongoing training and cooperation: “The strategy is solid, but it is you who make it real. Your voices, your daily work, and your experiences will bring it to life.”

Cinzia Tarletti, Head of Rule of Law and Good Governance Section at the European Union Delegation in Albania, also highlighted the European Union’s ongoing commitment to supporting citizen-centred reforms: “Transparent and responsive communication is at the heart of public trust. Through this training and broader institutional reforms, we are supporting Albania’s journey toward more accessible and accountable property and public services.”

Led by Maklen Misha, consultant of the Council of Europe, and Brunilda Xhixho, Director of the Media and Public Relations Directorate at the State Cadastre Agency, participants explored ethical standards in public communication and developed ways to respond with clarity and empathy during challenging interactions, based on the recently developed SCA Institutional Communication Strategy. One of the highlights of the training was the hands-on use of simulation exercises, tailored to reflect this Strategy.

This initiative is part of a broader effort supported by the European Union and the Council of Europe, in the framework of the action on “Improving the protection of the right to property and facilitating the execution of ECtHR judgments in Albania”, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe under the “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye” programme, to improve property rights administration in Albania and strengthen the trust between state institutions and the people they serve.