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As part of the negotiations for accession to the European Union, Albania is expected to amend a number of specific provisions of the Criminal Code to align them with European standards and the EU acquis.
In a response to BalkanWeb and News24, the European Union says it has encouraged Albania to prioritize those legal changes related to the Criminal Code that are necessary to meet the interim benchmarks set out in the EU Common Position on Chapter 1 (such as decriminalization of defamation and approximation with the EU legal framework on drug trafficking, human trafficking, child abuse, firearms, money laundering).
" Currently, the European Union is consulting on these priority changes, which are directly related to the membership requirements within the framework of the negotiations.
On the other hand, we are still reviewing and analyzing other provisions related to a broader review of the Criminal Code, which was recently published and is in the process of public consultation.
This broader revision of the Criminal Code is a complex undertaking, with potential long-term impact on society and the criminal justice system.
The EU stresses the importance of ensuring comprehensive and full consultation with all key justice institutions and rule of law actors, as well as with civil society and all other relevant stakeholders, in order to ensure that the resulting legislation is of the highest quality.
We are aware of the serious concerns expressed by representatives of the justice sector, as well as civil society, regarding a number of draft amendments.
We are particularly concerned about several amendments proposed by the working group that could have a negative impact on citizens' rights, freedom of expression and media freedom.
"These provisions are not aligned with EU standards and we are confident that, within the consultation process and within the framework of the commitments for membership, these concerns will be addressed ," the EU response states.
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