A delegation of the Council of Europe's Group of Experts on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings (GRETA) carried out an evaluation visit to Albania from 23 to 27 September 2019 as part of the third evaluation round of the Convention on Action against Trafficking in Human Beings. The focus of this evaluation round of the Convention is on trafficking victims’ access to justice and effective remedies. Prior to the visit, the Albanian authorities provided a reply to GRETA’s questionnaire for the third evaluation round. In addition to the new thematic focus, GRETA examines how the main recommendations made in its second evaluation report have been implemented.
During the visit, the GRETA delegation met Ms Rovena Voda, Deputy Minister of the Interior and National Co-ordinator for the Fight against Trafficking in Human Beings, and officials from relevant ministries and agencies, in particular the Office of the National Anti-Trafficking Co-ordinator, the Directorate against Narcotics and Illicit Trafficking, the Directorate of Economic and Financial Crime, the Directorate for the Protection of Witnesses and Justice Collaborators, the Department for Border and Migration, the State Social Services, the State Agency for the Rights and Protection of Children, and the State Labour Inspectorate. In addition, meetings were held with representatives of the General Prosecutor’s Office, the Serious Crimes Prosecutor’s Office, the First Instance Court for Serious Crimes, the Agency for the Administration of Sequestrated or Confiscated Assets, and the School of Magistrates. The delegation also met with Ms Erinda Ballanca, Ombudsperson.
Further, the GRETA delegation met Mr Zenel Kuçana, Head of the District of Kukës, and members of the Regional Anti-Trafficking Committee and the Anti-Trafficking Technical Roundtable of Kukës, including representatives of the local police, border police, social services and child protection services.
During the visit, the GRETA delegation met representatives of non-governmental organisations and lawyers representing victims of trafficking. Discussions were also held with representatives of the International Labour Organization (ILO), the International Organization for Migration (IOM), the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
In the course of the visit, the GRETA delegation visited the National Reception Centre for Victims of Trafficking and the National Reception Centre for Asylum Seekers in Tirana, as well as an NGO-run community centre in Kukës.
The visit was carried out by Mr Mihai Şerban and Ms Dorothea Winkler, members of GRETA, who were accompanied by Ms Evgenia Giakoumopoulou of the Secretariat of the Convention.
Following the visit, GRETA will prepare a draft report which will be sent to the Albanian authorities for comments. GRETA will subsequently adopt a final report, to be published in 2020.
