Discussion Forum – The Intersection of Criminal Justice and Socio-economic Well-being: The Role of Civil Society Actors in Shaping Realities, 22 April 2025

The latest forum organised by the European Movement in Albania (EMA) focused on topics related to criminal justice issues as well as socio-economic matters, prompted from articles published in the Albanian Law Journal and EuroSpeak. The forum was held on April 22, 2025, at the premises of the House of Europe and brought together journal authors, as well as other civil society actors and various interest groups.

In her opening speech, Nirvana Deliu, Programme Director at EMA, emphasized the need to expand discussions on issues that are often complex and technical, for which there is still little space for public debate. She highlighted that the articles published in the two journals created by EMA aim to fill this gap, bringing these topics closer to citizens through concrete recommendations for addressing some of the current challenges.

Next, the moderator Noljan Lole, Journalist, continued with the introduction of the panelists and the topics that would be discussed during the forum.

Gentjana Zeneli, Capacity Building Specialist at Terre des Hommes, put an emphasis on the importance of promoting and implementing restorative justice and mediation procedures as alternative measures for the rehabilitation and reintegration of minors in conflict with the law, closely linked to fundamental rights as part of child protection. She underlined that criminal mediation, as a structured communication process between the victim and the minor suspected or accused of a criminal offense, represents a functional mechanism for addressing the psychological and emotional consequences for the victim, while also contributing to the minor’s individual accountability. However, according to her, restorative justice and mediation are not applied in Albania. Zeneli stressed the importance of ensuring effective access to justice for minors, in accordance with child protection principles and international standards. She reported that, in 2020, a total of 7 cases were referred for criminal mediation by the Prosecutor’s Office, while in the last five years, no such cases were referred, indicating a lack of practical application of this alternative measure. According to her, this happens because prosecutors are content with issuing verbal or written warnings, focusing solely on the procedure. However, it is crucial to change this approach and give juvenile justice the proper importance, keeping in mind the best interests of the child and their future integration into society. Zeneli also addressed the issue of the lack of implementation of the provisions of the Juvenile Criminal Justice Code, which stipulates that the investigation and prosecution of minors should be carried out by prosecutors specialised in this field. In reality, however, these cases are generally left to inexperienced, non-specialised young prosecutors. Regarding the execution of sentencing measures, she informed that there are currently 33 minors serving their sentences at the Institute of Executing Penal Decisions Kavajë (also known as the Juvenile Institution), which is the only correctional institution for this category, due to the lack of rehabilitation schools in the country. However, she praised a positive development in the increase of institutional and societal awareness, mentioning the significant rise in family counseling cases, from just 2 reported cases in 2023 to 83 cases in 2024. This increase serves as an indicator of the improved approach to the prevention and psycho-social treatment of cases involving minors in contact with the justice system.

Evanthi Suli, Official at the Court of Appeal for the General Jurisdiction, during her speech, outlined that the extradition process involves both external and internal aspects, and its implementation is conditioned by the existence of bilateral agreements. Suli mentioned that one of the key points requiring attention is the possibility that the extradition procedure should not necessarily depend on the existence of an international agreement. This would allow Albania to extradite suspected individuals even from countries with which it does not have bilateral agreements. This issue is directly related to the increasing activity of criminal groups attempting to evade justice by exploiting legal loopholes and the lack of such agreements, which they use to protect themselves from prosecution. Currently, Albania has a limited number of these agreements, which makes the extradition process difficult in many cases. Suli also emphasized that extradition is not only a judicial process but also a diplomatic one, where ensuring the respect for the fundamental rights of individuals subject to extradition is of great importance. She suggested that extradition procedures should be simplified and made more efficient, proposing that approval from the Ministry of Justice should not be necessary if the court decision is already in effect. According to her, this step would expedite the process and avoid unnecessary bureaucracy.

Renis Meta, Lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Tirana, addressed the significant “shrinking” of the Albanian population, raising questions about the effectiveness of government policies aimed at curbing the “brain drain,” which reflects a major loss of youth potential, particularly among the 20-29 age group, the most vulnerable to this phenomenon. He emphasized that in recent years, the reasons for emigration are no longer basic economic or social factors, but rather the desire to improve the quality of life and achieve higher standards. As a result, this demographic crisis, marked by a significant increase in the departure of young people and skilled professionals, has serious consequences for the country’s development, leaving Albania with a reduced and unsuitable workforce for the market’s needs. He stated that the brain drain in Albania is at its highest level compared to other countries in the region. Meta pointed out that the traditional dynamics of migration in the country have changed, with more educated women and girls leaving, whereas historically this trend was more common among boys and men. The author also discussed the issue of the lack of accurate statistics on youth migration, which makes it difficult to assess the scale of this phenomenon. According to international studies, it is estimated that around 420,000 people have left Albania in the past 10 years. According to INSTAT, these migration dynamics are bringing, and will continue to bring, negative consequences for the country’s demographics and economy, such as the phenomenon of “population aging” and the reversal of the pension scheme, where it is expected that in the coming years, the ratio will be 2 working individuals for every 3 pensioners. In conclusion, he mentioned that the European Youth Guarantee scheme, a mechanism designed to support young people who are not employed, educated, or trained, could help reintegrate youth and mitigate this phenomenon.

Erda Dervishi, Economic Specialist, discussed the impact of Albania’s accession to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), highlighting the numerous benefits this step brings to the Albanian economy. These include the reduction of costs for international and multi-currency transfers, as well as the enhancement of the country’s image for foreign investors and international businesses. As of April 2025, all 11 second tier banks in Albania have been accepted to join the system, signaling the banking sector’s preparedness for the transition. Currently, both intermediary and correspondent banks apply fees for international transfers. However, with Albania’s SEPA membership and the system becoming operational in October 2025, a significant reduction in these costs is expected—down to a maximum of 50 euros, which aligns with the cap for domestic transfer fees. Dervishi further clarified that the benefits are mutual: not only will consumers enjoy lower fees and faster services, but banks themselves will benefit from the expansion of foreign business activity, which will gain access to more competitive packages and a more favourable financial environment for operations.

Participants discussed the strengthening of restorative justice in the country and the need for the specialisation of prosecutors in handling sensitive cases involving minors. The lack of dedicated institutions for the re-education of minors was also highlighted as a serious gap in the criminal justice system. Central to the debate were the challenges related to extradition procedures, particularly in cases where Albania does not have bilateral agreements with other countries, making international legal cooperation more difficult and slower. Participants also addressed the need for regional cooperation and concrete policies to retain talent within the country, as well as across other Western Balkan countries. Lastly, the discussion covered the potential benefits of joining SEPA, along with the challenges this process poses for the banking system and businesses, including the need for technical and regulatory adjustments to align with European standards.

*This discussion forum was held within the framework of the project “Building Partnership on Fundamentals: Empowered CSOs in the EU Accession Process,” with financial support from the European Union – IPA Civil Society Facility 2021, being implemented by the European Movement in Albania in cooperation with the Academy of European Integration and Negotiations (AIEN), the Slovak Foreign Policy Association (SFPA), and the Center for Transparency and Freedom of Information (CTFI).