Judicial Communication for the Vetting Bodies in Albania

November 2021, Tirana, Albania

The domestic law gives only limited advice to Vetting Bodies in Albania on how to work with me­dia if it comes to conflict between the right of the media on information, the right for privacy of the vetted magistrates and the smooth flow of the vetting procedures. Organized in co-operation with Special Appeals Chamber (AC), Independent Qualification Commission (IQC) and Public Commissioner’s Office (PC) and Co-organized and co-funded by the Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Instrument (TAIEX) of the European Commission,  the workshop “Judicial Communication for the Vetting Bodies in Albania” was designed to give guidance in the field of ethical and legal matters related to communications with media, the importance of strategic media communication and practi­cal advice from communications experts and experienced spokesperson.

The main objective of the workshop “Judicial Communication for the Vetting Bodies in Albania” was to provide the beneficiaries with practical advice and guidance on the principles of judicial communication, media engagement and their application in the activities of the re-evaluation of institutions, with the aim of improving their communication with the press and thereby contributing to a better understanding of the vetting process. The workshop was focused on crisis communication, regular communication and access to information requests.Some examples of the jurisprudence of the European Court for Human Rights and other national courts were in­troduced to the participants as well as number of international instruments that give good guidance, in particular the Opinion no 8 (2013) of the Consultative Council of European Pro­secutors on Relations between Prosecutors and the Media. The workshop culminated in a practical exercise, in which the participants could apply their newly acquired skills to a study case and receive advisory comments from the experts.

The important topics were presented by the international experts Ms Anette Milk, Senior Prosecutor and Media Spokesperson at District Prosecution Office Essen from Germany, MsKsenija Renko, Senior Communication Expert and Director of JUPITER Strategic Consulting Ltd. from Croatia and Mr Nicola Piacente, Chief Prosecutor at the Prosecution Office Como from Italy. The experts stressed the advantages but also necessity of foresighted, transparent and stra­tegic relations with the media and offered means to do so. By applying good practice and strategically designed communica­tion, the judicial bodies in the Vetting process in Albania will be able to achieve a reliable partnership with the media and the well-informed public, a positive perception of the judiciary and citizen’s trust and faith in judicial bodies. Consistent communication of judicial bodies with the external public will insure increase of understanding and credibility of the judiciary, decreasing the number of wrong interpretations and misunderstanding and satisfaction of the end users – the public.

From: Exit Staff 01-12-2021 at 16:23

In December 2021, the Venice Commission has presented the Parliament of Albania with a draft opinion that suggests constitutional amendments to extend the expiring mandate of judicial vetting bodies should be approved. As part of Albania’s far-reaching justice reform, two commissions have been tasked with vetting all judges and prosecutors. According to the constitution, their mandates expire in June 2022, but only half of the country’s magistrates have gone through the process. The Socialist majority in Parliament requests that their mandates be extended for another two years, with the support of the International Monitoring Operations (ONM), the EU and US.”

Read more: Extending the Mandate of Vetting Bodies: The Options on the Table