Working Group for Chapter 24 – Strengthening Albania’s Response to Cybercrime and Child Online Protection: Legan Alignmenet and Institutional Capacities, 15 January 2026

Cybercrime and the protection of children online was the topic of the Working Group meeting on Chapter 24, held on 15 january 2026, organized by European Movement in Albania (EMA), in cooperation with the Albanian State Police, within the framework of the National Convention for European Integration, supported by European Union. The topic resulted in broad interest and high participation, bringing together representatives of civil society, foreign missions in Albania police representatives and other relevant institutions, as well as legal and media professionals.

In his welcoming speech, Gledis Gjipali, Executive Director of the European Movement in Albania (EMA), emphasized that within the European integration process, the National Convention for European Integration represents a model of cooperation and consultation between state institutions, civil society and other stakeholders. It enables professionals in the field to contribute with their expertise and experience to the formulation of legal measures and their implementation in line with European legislation, ensuring that this process is carried out at the lowest possible cost. He underlined the importance of Chapters 23 and 24, as they relate to security, justice, the protection of human rights, and particularly the protection of children. Their full alignment with the European legislation and consequently, the implementation lies fully in the hands of each country aspiring to EU membership and identifying instruments that best serve the Albanian reality and advance the EU accession process is of great value.

Sokol Bizhga, Deputy Director General of the Albanian State Police, appreciated the call for cooperation not only in discussing such topics but also in aligning with European legislation. He stated that the State Police is on the front line in the fight against crime, especially protecting children from criminal activity. He emphasized that the institution is ready to undertake concrete actions to protect children from cybercrime, in compliance with the standards of major international organizations fighting crime, such as Interpol, and in cooperation with European and international partners.

Suela Bonjaku, Head of the Sector for Computer Forgery and Unauthorized Access within the Cybercrime Unit of the State Police, underlined in her speech that the protection of children is a necessity, as they are the most vulnerable group, particularly in the online environment, where the boundary between entertainment and risk is often invisible. She noted that crime today often presents itself as a form of normality, as a “friend request” or a link promising gifts, while its true aim is to violate a child’s privacy, security, and dignity. She emphasized that the Directorate for the Investigation of Cybercrimes has long placed at the core of its objectives the prevention of potential criminal offenses online, as well as the investigation, detection, and prosecution of perpetrators. This has been a long process, facing challenges such as capacity building, the establishment of structures, and the development of operational methodologies that have not always been effective. Bonjaku added that online child sexual abuse material represents a challenge not only for the State Police, but also a broader social and national issue, as pedophiles are among the most sophisticated internet users, making detection particularly difficult. In this context, she emphasized the need to raise awareness, specialization, and daily operational work. As part of the measures taken to assist minors and strengthen capacities for evidence collection and case resolution, in 2023 a dedicated sector for the investigation of online child sexual abuse material was established, demonstrating a shift in addressing this phenomenon not merely as an isolated incident but as a serious risk requiring dedication, time, resources, and specialized professionals. She also highlighted the importance of cooperation with international and strategic partners, as well as direct communication with social media platforms such as TikTok. Among the measures taken, Bonjaku noted that the Directorate for the Investigation of Cybercrimes has access to TikTok’s reporting channel for illegal content, enabling faster and more effective responses to cases of bullying, abuse, and the distribution of illegal material on the platform. Within the framework of international cooperation, a 24/7 contact point for information exchange has been established, and in cooperation with a Swedish project, police officers assigned to schools have been trained. In conclusion, she emphasized the importance of early education for children about online risks, combined with increased awareness among parents and teaching staff, to ensure they are better informed.

Róbert Bohunický, Counterfeiting Specialist at the Ministry of the Interior of Slovakia, explained that in Slovakia is a dedicated cybercrime unit established in 2013, with nationwide competence and the objective of meeting the standards of institutions in other EU Member States, as well as fulfilling international obligations in the field of cybercrime. This unit is divided into two departments, “The Investigation and Expertise Department” and “The Detection Department, with a total staff of 30 employees. Since 2015, the unit has maintained close cooperation and continues to report online child abuse material to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Since 2022, the unit has also been responsible for investigating various criminal activities and providing specialized methodologies and assistance to other police units throughout the territory of the Slovak Republic in detecting computer crimes and crimes committed using computer systems, such as the misuse of personal data, fraud, hacking, and others. He also outlined the unit’s specific tasks, including data and image analysis, verification and assessment of information received from abroad and from domestic police departments, processing NCMEC reports, analyses, records, and statistics, as well as international cooperation with Europol, Interpol, partner departments in other European countries, domestic ministries, civil society organizations, and the private sector. He noted that cybercrime cases are generally identified through NCMEC reports, information from ICSE, Europol, NCA, FBI, as well as criminal reports and operational activities by police forces. He listed the ten most frequently used platforms for cybercrime according to NCMEC reports in Slovakia, highlighting the importance of cooperation with these platforms for rapid and effective information exchange. During his presentation, he emphasized that in Slovakia’s experience, education through social media has played a crucial role in managing cybercrime and protecting children online, targeting not only children but also parents and grandparents (with Facebook remaining the most widely used platform among this generation). Additional measures include public awareness advertisements broadcast on national television and the development of online platforms designed to assist anyone who feels threatened by cybercrime. He presented two of the most widely used platforms for information and support to victims of cybercrime www.ovce.sk and www.ochrana.sk. One of the challenges Slovakia currently faces is the increasing number of online threats combined with a decline in human resources. For Albania, he recommended cooperation with civil society and international organizations such as ICSE, Europol, FBI, and NCA, capacity building in terms of human resources and equipment, the operation of a 24/7 sector, the involvement of the private sector, enhanced cooperation among state institutions, and participation in various international projects.

During the discussions with participants, the Slovak expert shared additional details regarding relationships and access to widely used platforms such as TikTok and Meta. Civil society groups recommended the establishment of a national database of child abuse cases, updates to criminal legislation to include bullying as a criminal offense, the development of support instruments for victims, and the implementation of activities aimed at raising public awareness.