To advance Albania’s European Union integration process, the Council of Ministers today approved comprehensive measures to overhaul the nation’s criminal legislation.

Specifically, the executive order mandates officials to draft, consolidate, and finalize three main pillars: a brand-new Criminal Code, structural amendments to the Code of Criminal Procedure, and updates to all related penal acts.

To lead this effort, the Minister of Justice will personally oversee the entire legislative pipeline. Furthermore, the Ministry will establish specialized ad hoc working groups to execute the complex technical work.

Regarding composition, these working groups will unite legal experts from government institutions, prominent academic figures, and experienced international advisors. Simultaneously, a dedicated technical secretariat will support the experts with daily codification and administrative tasks.

Financially, the government has outlined strict compensation terms for external contributors. The Ministry of Justice will pay external experts directly from its 2026 budget; however, it will cap total compensation at 3 million lek per expert for any single legal act. In addition, the Minister of Justice will determine final payouts based strictly on documented work and completed deliverables.

Finally, once the working groups finalize the drafts and supporting documents, the Minister of Justice will present the full legal package to the Council of Ministers for official review and approval.