A highly productive official visit to the European institutions for the police cooperation, EUROPOL, and criminal justice, EUROJUST, was undertaken with the full support and coordination of the EU4LEA Project, specifically for the Albanian negotiating group responsible for Chapter 24 of the acquis communautaire focusing on ” Justice, Freedom and Security.” This visit was led by Mr. Besfort Lamallari, Deputy Minister of the Interior, and included prominent representatives from various institutions within the negotiating group, such as the Director of the EUROPOL Directorate in the Albanian State Police (ASP), a Prosecutor from the Special Prosecution Office against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), Investigators from the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), and delegates from the General Prosecutor’s Office (GPO) and the Ministry of Justice (MoJ).
During this enriching two-day visit, the Albanian delegation had the privilege of expressing their sincere appreciation to both EUROPOL and EUROJUST for their exceptional collaborative efforts thus far. This visit provided an invaluable opportunity for the Albanian delegation to gain an in-depth understanding of the technical mechanisms employed by these two institutions. The primary objective was to align Albanian practices with those currently followed by EU institutions.
These meetings also fostered the development of stronger cooperation between EUROPOL, EUROJUST, and key Albanian entities, including the Ministry of the Interior, State Police, SPAK, and the General Prosecutor’s Office. The focus was on enhancing information exchange between Albania and other EU countries, a crucial step towards establishing joint investigative teams. Furthermore, discussions revolved around the technical support that EUROPOL and EUROJUST could extend to Albania in this regard.
Notably, the Albanian delegation received a warm reception from senior representatives of both EUROPOL and EUROJUST, who reiterated their unwavering support for Albania’s efforts to complete the negotiation process with the European Commission, ultimately leading to Albania’s accession to the European Union. This visit solidified the commitment of all parties involved to the shared goal of fostering cooperation and alignment between Albania and the EU in matters of freedom, justice, and security.
