The EU and the Council of Europe through their joint Horizontal Facility programme are assisting the Albanian prison service to further improve the treatment of prisoners with mental health disorders. This will be achieved by setting up a standardised system of detection, screening and treatment based on individualised treatment plans. To discuss this process, a working group meeting was held on 4-5 April 2023 in Pogradec. This event follows the development of the SOPs for prisoners with mental health disorders and staff coaching, which were supported in the framework of the previous phase of the programme.

The event brought together 17 prison staff members directly responsible for the implementation of the SOPs in Fier and Durres prisons, co-ordinators at the Directorate General of Prison Administration (DGPA) and Council of Europe consultants. Strengths and weaknesses were discussed, evidencing where an enhanced focus is needed. Procedural gaps were clarified, and agreement reached on a methodology and indicators for measuring progress of the piloting. The EU and Council of Europe are currently helping the Albanian prison service with the drafting of the operational plans in support to the SOPs application, which DGPA shall officially endorse. The full piloting of the SOPs in both prisons is expected to start in May 2023 and last over a period of five months.

The WG meeting was organized under the action “Enhancing the protection of human rights of prisoners in Albania”, which is part of a joint initiative of the European Union and Council of Europe “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye 2023-2026”.