On 26 June, the OSCE Presence in Albania organized a workshop to unveil the findings of the Baseline Assessment on Inspection, Investigation and Punishment of Environmental Contraventions and Crimes in Albania. The baseline assessment for environmental governance, which is based on the analyses of legal framework, institutional capacities, and technical expertise, was commissioned by the Presence and conducted during the period of October 2022 - January 2023.
The baseline assessment was conducted in close co-operation with national authorities, by involving in the process officials of compliance and management agencies, police, prosecution, as well as representatives of civil society, media and academia. The baseline assessment highlighted the opportunities and 26 concrete recommendations to be addressed by national authorities. These recommendations and measures will support national authorities in drafting or reviewing existing or new policies, laws, or institutional framework, thus enhancing environmental law enforcement, inter-institutional co-operation and effective tackling of environmental contraventions.
In the presentation workshop, representatives of national institutions responsible for environmental inspection, enforcement and prosecution acknowledged and discussed the findings and recommendations, as an opportunity to enhance environmental governance and security in Albania. In addition, discussions also focused on potential ways and means to address the identified recommendations and measures in a tangible way.
Ambassador Bruce Berton, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, said that, "At the OSCE, we strongly believe that this project will support the authorities to adequately address existing gaps in terms of legal framework, capacities, and co-operation within the institutional chain dealing with environmental violations. The baseline assessment will serve as a guide for our joint work to enhance environmental governance and security.
Deputy Minister of Tourism and Environment, Almira Xhembulla, underlined the importance of the criminal code provisions to adequately tackle environmental violations. In addition, Deputy Minister Xhembulla stressed the progress made by Albanian authorities in terms of legislation revision and developed capacities, acknowledging the relevant support of OSCE Presence in Albania.
Representatives from General Prosecution Office, State Agency for Strategic Programming and Assistance Co-ordination, State Police and Embassies of Italy and France in Albania, emphasized the importance of inter-institutional cooperation for effective response against environmental violations and the progress made up to this point in terms of legal and institutional framework.
The Baseline Assessment was produced in the frame of an extra-budgetary project on Environmental Governance and Security in Albania implemented by the OSCE Presence in Albania and funded by the Governments of Norway, France and Italy.
The OSCE Presence in Albania will continue its multi-year efforts to cooperate and support national authorities in enhancing environmental governance and security in Albania, by addressing recommendations and measures identified in the baseline assessment.
The full version of baseline assessment can be accessed under publications section of OSCE Presence in Albania webpage in Albanian and English versions: https://www.osce.org/presence-in-albania/546515
