Albania finalizes computerization of civil status data, starts issuing printed civil status certificates

TIRANA, 14 August 2008 - The Albanian Interior Ministry, with support from the OSCE Presence, will begin issuing printed civil status certificates at the Civil Status Offices in Tirana, and local government units in Kamez and Paskuqan.

This is being done in the framework of the European Union CARDS programme. The certificates will be generated from the civil registration database, which was obtained by computerizing all Albanian civil status data as registered in the fundamental register books.

This is the first group of Civil Status Offices to start issuing printed certificates from the Albanian civil registration database. The printed certificates will replace hand-written certificates, help improve public services and provide better accuracy of data. The Government aims to gradually enable all Civil Status Offices in the country to issue printed certificates.

Prime Minister, Sali Berisha, Interior Minister, Bujar Nishani, the Head of the OSCE Presence, Ambassador Robert Bosch, and the Acting Head of the European Commission Delegation to Albania, Hubert Petit, took part in today's event.

"These are the first tangible results of the modernization of the civil registration system," said Ambassador Bosch. "In order to ensure sustainable results, it is important to provide continuous commitment to the process at all levels. The Interior Ministry and the Civil Status Offices are aware of the major challenge ahead in maintaining the quality and sustainability of the new system."

The Acting Head of the European Commission Delegation, Hubert Petit, said that the issue of data protection becomes even more important now that Albania has begun to use a civil status database. "In line with the Personal Data Protection law, adopted earlier this year, the Government should appoint a Data Protection Commissioner and establish a Data Protection Authority without further delay," he said.

"Albania should ensure that a reliable civil registry is in place well in time before the deadlines for voter list preparations and that identity documents in line with international standards are issued to all voters sufficiently in advance of the next parliamentary elections."

The computerization of the Albanian civil status data and issuance of printed certificates was made possible through a 2.5 million EUR EU-funded project, "Technical Assistance to the Government of Albania on Modernization of Address and Civil Registration Systems", with additional funding from the OSCE and the United States' government.

It was implemented by the OSCE Presence in Albania. Statistics Norway made significant contributions to the computerization of the civil status data and the development of the software, enabling the printing of certificates.