Voices from the field

Geri From Syria to Reintegration: Supporting Violent Extremist Offenders in the Probation System in Albania

Tirana / Albania 4 May 2026

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Julinda Manja & Roland Sulika

In her dark clothing, Fatime* sits quietly, seemingly uninterested in any conversation, waits impatiently to meet her Probation Officer in Tirana. Every three months, she is required to report and discuss her progress with the probation authorities. She is one of the nine women who returned in October 2024 after years in Syria, where she was caught in a conflict far from her homeland, having survived unimaginable hardship. Now, as a mother, daughter, and convicted violent extremist offender (VEO), Fatime faces the daunting challenge of reintegration under the supervision of the Albanian Probation Service. Her return, along with eight other women, marks a milestone for Albania’s justice system. For years, women like her were seen only as victims, requiring psychological care and support instead of criminal justice intervention. However, with legal definitions now evolved and clarified, Fatime was sentenced to probation — a community sanction and measure, which includes also assistance aiming at the social inclusion of offender.

The decision to convict VEOs to probation regime is a progressive and humane approach to justice and community reintegration. Recognising that effective rehabilitation and reintegration require more than incarceration, Albanian authorities, with support from the European Union and Council of Europe, have pioneered developing proper tools and programmes to support the VEOs in their rehabilitation and effective reintegration.

Roland Sulika, probation officer from Mat, is among those who have participated in specialised capacity-building activities on managing and rehabilitating VEOs, in the framework of the EU and Council of Europe joint action “Enhancing co-operation in the Western Balkans in managing violent extremism in prisons and preventing further radicalisation after release”. He emphasises the significance of equipping probation staff with advanced tools for assessing potential signs of radicalisation and tailoring individual intervention programmes. Roland notes that these instruments are crucial in evaluating the unique needs and factors involved in each individual’s rehabilitation and integration. “One tool that stood out is the Individual Treatment Plan. It adds depth to our approach, ensuring interventions are not only reactive but also proactive and comprehensive,” he explains. For Roland, the training was transformative, enhancing both his technical knowledge and his professional confidence.

The trainer Julinda Manja, probation inspector from Tirana and one of the first officers to initiate the current training programme, underscores the importance of distinguishing between women VEOs in probation and those in prison settings. “Initially, this reintegration approach was connected only to the prison system, but we advocated for its development within the Probation Service, recognising the unique dynamics, especially for women returning from Syria,” she explains. With support from the Council of Europe, the Albanian Probation Service has developed and successfully piloted new tools tailored for this category of offenders. “Since the gradual introduction of these instruments, their openness and cooperation have grown remarkably. At first, there was scepticism and distance, but today, our communication with them is much easier,” admits Julinda.

Interventions are now expanding, focusing not only on the returned women but also on their families, who may be at risk. We learn that in some municipalities, such as Mat, a working group of diverse stakeholders, led by the local prefect, meets quarterly to review the management of VEOs, assess related risks, and address new cases. These sessions highlight a key lesson that effective reintegration relies on collaboration of various actors and the use of the right tools and methodologies adapted to the specifics of institutions.

While capacity-building activities continue, the Council of Europe’s tools and methodologies, adapted for Albanian probation, are ensuring a gradual and supported reintegration of VEO-s back into society. For, Fatime and others like her, this approach means being recognised not just as former offenders, but as individuals deserving dignity and assistance on their path back to community life.

*Name changed to protect identity of the subject .

This session of the website features inspiring narratives, human stories and success examples, that demonstrate positive change and improvement in the lives of individuals, local communities, and society as a whole.

Geri A school where democracy grows: Prijedor students lead the way in building dialogue and trust

Besnik BAKA

Prijedor, Bosnia and Herzegovina 2 June 2025

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A school where democracy grows: Prijedor students lead the way in building dialogue and trust

With the opening of the first Resource Centre for Democratic School Culture in Republika Srpska, the Catering and Economics School in Prijedor is showing how democratic values can be learned—and lived—through collaboration between students, teachers, and the local community.

In the heart of Prijedor, a quiet yet profound transformation is taking place in the classrooms and hallways of the Catering and Economics School. On 27 March 2025, this school officially opened the first Resource Centre for Democratic School Culture in Republika Srpska, and fourth in Bosnia and Herzegovina, becoming an example of how democratic values can be nurtured through education.

The school’s journey began six years ago when it joined a Council of Europe initiative focused on promoting competences for democratic culture. Since then, it has implemented over 90 activities, engaging both teachers and students in shaping a more inclusive and participatory school environment.

According to Dražena Mršić, the school’s director, they are all getting used to an increased number of activities and greater involvement of students, who are being introduced to small, targeted projects, workshops, or actions where they are assigned tasks and actively participate. She highlighted that all these activities encouraged them to direct their activities toward the competences they believed need to be developed. “As a director, it matters to me when I see that activity planning takes into account values such as conflict resolution, civic spirit, appreciation of democracy, justice, and fairness,” she said.

Mršić noted that the most impactful moments have come from activities rooted in empathy and connection. “We are always most encouraged and most impressed by humanitarian actions, such as the charity bazaar,” she said adding also the importance of live encounters with actors, writers, and other everyday heroes—who can be inspiring and motivate action.

A key innovation in the school’s democratic journey is the Student Critical Thinking Club, launched during an earlier project phase. It now works closely with the Student Council, creating a strong student voice in decision-making processes.

“Students volunteered to join the Critical Thinking Club, which is a prerequisite for the success of any action,” Mršić explained. “We strive for them to be as independent as possible and to learn how to fight for the ideas that matter to them using democratic means,” she said adding that by encouraging an atmosphere of tolerance and respect, and dialogue that values the opinions of others—which they later presented in classrooms to other students—the work of the Critical Thinking Club contributed to creating a more democratic atmosphere throughout the school.

“There’s no need to separately mention their direct involvement in actions, because they were mostly the ones leading activities—presenting the ideas in classrooms and doing everything necessary for those ideas to be realised.”

However, the impact of this work extends beyond school walls. Prijedor’s mayor’s office was represented at the Centre’s opening, reflecting the strong local support.

“The opening of the first Resource Centre for Democratic School Culture in Republika Srpska in Prijedor is of great importance for our city where three nations live equally, where we proudly promote three different cultures and traditions—and that is certainly one of our greatest assets,” Slobodan Javor, Prijedor mayor, said.

“We are proud that, despite certain disagreements in our past, we have managed to build a very high level of coexistence and live in harmony in our city,” Javor noted stressing that democratic learning reinforces the city’s values.

“We believe that promoting democracy and human rights in this way, especially among school-aged children, will further strengthen the views and narratives we uphold—solidarity, equality for all, and coexistence.”

For him, this initiative also represents a modernisation of education. “This kind of teaching will also enable interaction between teachers, parents, and all other relevant members of our local community in the process, which we see as very positive and useful.”

The mayor also stressed the importance of cooperation between schools, authorities, and the community in promoting democratic values among youth. “We believe it is extremely important and that it is a chain that must be strong and firm in every segment,” he said.

“That is why we, as a local community, have been working for decades to develop awareness among all our citizens—especially the youngest—of the need to preserve democratic values. We believe we have been very successful in that.”

The Resource Centre for Democratic School Culture in Prijedor is part of the action “Quality education for all” in Bosnia and Herzegovina which is part of the European Union and Council of Europe’s joint programme “Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye.” As democratic school culture takes root here, students and teachers alike are proving that inclusive values grow best when nurtured by participation, mutual respect—and a shared belief in a better future.