Press Release

Tirana, December 10, 2021. The increase of the efficiency in the investigation of criminal offenses of domestic violence and gender-based violence is a priority of the work of the prosecution. At the end of the 16 days of the activism against gender-based violence, in the premises of the General Prosecution Office was launched the 3-year project, "Proactive Commitment for the protection and implementation of the law against gender-based violence and domestic violence", which is implemented by the Center for Civic Legal Initiatives with the support of the Dutch Embassy.

The General Prosecutor Olsian Çela and the Ambassador of the Netherlands Reinout Vos, who praised the initiative and offered maximum support for the successful implementation of this project were present in the organized ceremony.
The cooperation with the civil society to combat the phenomenon of domestic violence and gender-based violence comes at a time, when the prosecution has intensified the efforts and measures in fighting this phenomenon and as a response to the General Prosecutor’s appeal for the engagement of all actors and the increase of inter-institutional cooperation towards a common and multifaceted strategy.

The project aims at increasing the capacity of prosecutors, judicial police officers and coordinators for subjects with special status according to the international standards for the cases of domestic violence and gender-based violence, with the focus on the treatment of victims. It will also aim at improving the collection and administration of data on these offenses.

The project will cooperate with the best experts of the Dutch School of Magistrates and the Judicial Academy, as well as with the Dutch Helsinki Committee. Specific activities are foreseen to increase the level of information and awareness of the community on the phenomenon and the legal rights of victims of domestic violence.

Earlier, the General Prosecutor Olsian Cela met with Dutch Ambassador Reinout Vos and Rule of Law Regional Coordinator Bart De Bruijn. The topic of discussion was the progress of justice reform, as well as the strengthening of cooperation between the Albanian justice authorities and the Dutch ones. The Dutch Ambassador appraised the Albanian prosecution for the appointment of the Liaison Prosecutor in Eurojust as a step that serves to the strengthening of the international cooperation in the penal field among Albania and other member countries of this agency.