The meeting opened with welcoming remarks from the Chair of the High Prosecutorial Council, Mirela Bogdani, the Chair of the High Judicial Council, Ilir Rusi, Minister of Justice Toni Gogu, High Inspector of Justice Artur Metani, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Sokol Sadushi, Prosecutor General Olsian Çela, as well as Head of the Section for European Integration, Political Affairs, Press and Information, Andre Rizzo.

In her speech, the Chair of the HPC, Mirela Bogdani, emphasized the importance of the evaluation process as a fundamental pillar for the functioning of the justice system and strengthening public trust.

“The evaluation process, despite the challenges it carries, is the foundation upon which not only careers and meritocracy in the system are built, but also the very model of the magistrate that Albanian justice seeks to consolidate. Through a credible evaluation process and institutional cooperation, the justice that citizens expect from us is built,” Bogdani stated.

During the working sessions, discussions addressed the challenges accompanying the ethical-professional evaluation process, the current state of evaluations and backlog cases, the need to harmonize standards between the two councils, improvements in evaluation methodologies, as well as concrete measures to accelerate processes and increase institutional efficiency.

Discussions also focused on supportive administrative measures and digitalization as key tools for modernizing processes. Particular attention was given to the importance of the evaluation process as a key instrument for ensuring professional standards, meritocracy, and accountability, as well as the necessity of interinstitutional cooperation for the coherent functioning of the reform architecture.

The meeting was also attended by representatives of the Ministry of Justice, who contributed with discussions and recommendations aimed at the shared objective of strengthening justice system standards and advancing Albania’s European Union integration process.

In conclusion, it was underlined that interinstitutional cooperation and the continuous improvement of evaluation processes remain key elements for the development and strengthening of the justice system.