Ensuring the independence and accountability of judicial systems in the Western Balkans is crucial for guaranteeing access to justice and equal protection of human rights, in line with European standards. The programme continues to advance the collaboration and joint work with public actors and related stakeholders, including civil society organisations, international organisations, and professionals in the field of improving the efficiency and quality of justice by enhancing the accountability and professionalism of judges and prosecutors.

The Communication Strategy of the Judicial Council and Courts for 2024 - 2026 and the 2024 Action Plan, developed with the support of the programme, were presented to court presidents, press judges and the Judicial Council's members in Montenegro. The Strategy defines ways of communicating with public and media, contributing to greater accountability of the judicial system and better judicial outcomes for citizens.

The European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ), in close co-operation with the High Judicial and Prosecutorial Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina, co-organised a regional workshop entitled “Advancing the HJPC BiH regional Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Hub initiative through CEPEJ Cyber-justice tools and good practices”. The initiative seeks to create a network of ICT professionals across the Western Balkans region to improve judicial efficiency through a collaborative approach, exchange of good practices, and the development of state-of-the-art solutions.

The programme provided support for strengthening the capacities of the High Inspector of Justice in Albania with the methodology for preparing and conducting classic thematic inspection missions, based on best European standards and practices. During the capacity building seminar organised in Tirana, with the joint expertise and contribution of the CEPEJ, the HIJ staff learned from the French and Romanian experiences and best practices on thematic inspections.

In addition, a regional event was organised in Tirana, Albania gathering prosecutors from the Western Balkans to share their experiences on efficiency and quality. Namely, prosecution offices of Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Kosovo* actively participated in the workshop entitled “Good practices and shared challenges concerning the efficiency and quality of the work of prosecutorial system”. They had an opportunity to discuss important issues related to organisation, management and competences of prosecution offices, data collection and analysis, and communication with press and media.

*This designation is without prejudice to positions on status, and is in line with UNSCR 1244 and the ICJ Opinion on the Kosovo Declaration of Independence.