OSCE Presence, USAID hold conference to promote court leadership in Albania

Promoting leadership in the management of courts was the focus of a conference organized by the OSCE Presence in Albania together with the USAID’s Justice Sector Strengthening Project (JuST) and in partnership with the Ministry of Justice and the High Council of Justice on 15 May 2013 in Tirana.

The National Court Leadership Conference brought together chairs of the first instance and appellate courts, chairs and members of the Supreme and Constitutional Courts, as well as the leadership of the justice system in Albania. This high-level forum focused on key reforms to promote greater transparency, efficiency and accountability in the Albanian judiciary and improvement of their performance through utilization of available data and technology.

The conference highlighted some of the most common problems identified by the Presence and JuST’s justice reform programmes and focused on developing practical solutions to deliver more efficient justice, actively manage trials and demonstrate court leadership. In addition, it provided further momentum for the use of digital audio recording systems in Albanian courts, a major technological undertaking for the Albanian judiciary.

To promote sharing of best practices, the conference also showcased relevant experience from the United States and Europe in terms of the impact of and positive experience with active case management.