Horizontal Facility - Вести
Turning theory into practice during an unforgettable week in Trebinje
For many law students, understanding human rights begins in a classroom. But for a young participant from Montenegro, Ana Novović, the Regional School of Human Rights in Trebinje in July offered something much deeper: a chance to connect with others who, despite different backgrounds, share the...
HELP kurs osnažuje pravne stručnjake/inje u Srbiji za borbu protiv trgovine ljudima i podršku žrtvama
Devetnaest sudija i javnih tužilaca u Srbiji uspešno je završilo specijalizovan kurs Saveta Evrope o borbi protiv trgovine ljudima i zaštiti žrtava, i osnažilo kapacitete da se bore protiv jednog od najozbiljnijih oblika kršenja ljudskih prava. Organizovan u okviru projekta „Jačanje borbe protiv...
Montenegrin investigative actors boost skills in investigating ill-treatment
Prosecutors, judges, prison system and Internal Affairs of the Ministry of Interior officers further improved their skills in combating and preventing ill-treatment during a two-day training session held in Podgorica on 18–19 July. Key investigative actors had the opportunity to work together to...
Prava, zemljište i ograničenja: Studenti iz regije o kompleksnoj povezanosti između imovinskih prava, životne sredine i regulative
Studenti i studentkinje prava iz Albanije, Bosne i Hercegovine, Crne Gore, sa Kosova*, iz Severne Makedonije i Srbije, njih 31, okupili su se protekle nedelje u Trebinju, u Bosni i Hercegovini, na Regionalnoj školi o ljudskim pravima – specijalizovanom obrazovnom programu osmišljenom tako da...
Advancing women’s rights protection in Türkiye through strategic litigation training
As many as 47 lawyers from the Bursa Bar Association and CSO representatives (42 women, 5 men) are now better equipped to use strategic litigation as a tool to advance women’s rights and promote gender equality in Türkiye, following a specialised training organised under the joint European Union...
Strengthening cross-border financial investigation involving digital payments and virtual assets
The rapid growth of digital payment services and virtual assets presents new opportunities and challenges for investigation and prosecution in the Western Balkans Beneficiaries. Over 30 professionals from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia and Serbia,...
Council of Europe backs future legal professionals to uphold human rights standards
In a celebration of emerging legal professionals and regional cooperation, the Council of Europe took part in the Regional Mock Trial Award Ceremony in Tirana, supporting law students from across Albania and the Western Balkans as they sharpened their advocacy skills and deepened their...
Conference Highlights the Importance of Alternative Care for Unaccompanied Children on the Move
Nearly 49 million children have been forcibly displaced worldwide − many unaccompanied or separated from their families. In response to their urgent protection needs, an online conference on “Alternative Care Arrangements for Unaccompanied and Separated Children in the Context of Migration”...
Integrating European Media Freedom Act and Digital Services Act in Albania’s media framework
As Albania advances on its path to European Union accession, aligning its media legislation with European standards is a critical step. In this context, the Albanian Audiovisual Media Authority (AMA) took part in a capacity-building workshop focused on the transposition and implementation of the ...
Digitalisation, Artificial Intelligence and related challenges to human rights protection in the loop of Equality Bodies.
With the active participation of 22 staff members from the Ombudsperson Institution, a two-day training session took place on in Istog/Istok, focusing on the impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI) on non-discrimination and the evolving role of equality bodies. The training aimed to strengthen the...
New informational video about the work of the Commission on Compensation for Victims of Violent Crimes launched in North Macedonia
What are the rights of the victims of violent crimes?
Following the adoption of the Law on Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes in November 2022, the Commission for Compensation of Victims of Violent Crimes was established in February 2024. Its task is clear: to examine and grant claims for state monetary compensation of victims of violent...
Albania’s School of Magistrates attends the 2025 HELP Conference in Strasbourg on the harmonisation of legal training
Ador Koleka, senior representative of the School of Magistrates of Albania, has joined legal professionals and judicial training institutions from across Europe at the 2025 Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP) Network Conference, taking place in Strasbourg on 3–4 July. The...
Prison Police Intervention Teams in North Macedonia enhance capacities on human rights safeguards and accountability
The EU and Council of Europe are providing continuous assistance to the public authorities in North Macedonia to enhance the protection of the human rights of prisoners and detained persons, in line with European standards. Twenty-three officers from Prison Police Intervention Teams attended the...
Police professionals in Bosnia and Herzegovina honour co-operation with Council of Europe in promoting human rights
Law enforcement officers from the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina gathered in Sarajevo to mark the Police Day, a special occasion dedicated to honouring their commitment to public safety and community service. The highlight of the event was the prestigious “Golden Badge” awards ceremony,...
Montenegro strengthens anti-money laundering supervision by upgrading Financial Intelligence Unit IT system
The Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) in Montenegro successfully completed the upgrade of its information and technology (IT)infrastructure, a milestone achievement made possible through the support of the EU and Council of Europe Aciton against Economic Crime in Montenegro. This improvement...
Get to know the most recent publications under the Horizontal Facility programme
In this edition of Highlights, we present the main publications produced under the framework of the Horizontal Facility III programme with an aim to enhance knowledge and bring European standards in various areas closer to the beneficiaries in the Western Balkans and in Türkiye. The publication...
Advancing legal reforms to strengthen court expert accountability in Montenegro
In a concerted effort to enhance the quality, professionalism, and accountability of court experts in Montenegro, key support [BB1] has been provided to the Ministry of Justice in drafting amendments to the Law on Court Experts, by compiling relevant European standards related to the work of...
New Codes of Ethics for judges and prosecutors in Montenegro to bolster judicial integrity
The process of drafting of new Codes of Ethics for judges and prosecutors in Montengro has been recently launched, marking an important step forward toward reinforcing ethical standards and promoting integrity across the justice system. Supported by the joint European Union and Council of Europe...
Montenegro adopts new appraisal rules for judges and prosecutors to enhance transparency and merit-based evaluation
In a landmark move towards strengthening the rule of law and promoting professional excellence within the judiciary and prosecution service, the Judicial Council and the Prosecutorial Council of Montenegro have recently adopted new rules governing the appraisal of judges and prosecutors. The new...
State Cadastre Agency in Albania strengthens communication efforts to better serve citizens
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...