How legal professionals can better protect property rights while balancing the public interest - this was the focus of a specialised training on expropriation and European Court of Human Rights case law, bringing together more than 50 judges, state advocates, lawyers, and magistrates.

Council of Europe expert Viktor Gumi guided participants through landmark decisions of the European Court of Human Rights (the Court of Strasbourg), such as Ramaj v. Albania and Gaba v. Albania. His analysis highlighted the implications of these decisions for national legal practice and the protection of property rights. His contributions were further enriched by trainers from the School of Magistrates, including Judge Fiona Papajorgji (Constitutional Court of Albania) and Judge Arbena Ahmeti (Supreme Court of Albania), who explored the national legal framework and judicial interpretation of expropriation cases by the respective highest courts. Erind Mërkuri, a member of the High Prosecutorial Council of Albania, acted as facilitator, guiding the discussions and ensuring an interactive exchange.

Focusing on fair compensation, legal certainty, and procedural efficiency, the training provided participants with practical knowledge to effectively apply the Court's standards in national courts. This initiative is part of broader efforts to enhance the capacity of Albanian legal professionals, and to establish a more harmonised, consistent and rights-based approach to property-related issues.

This activity was organised in co-operation with the School of Magistrates in the framework of the action Improving the protection of the right to property and facilitating the execution of ECtHR judgments in Albania, co-funded by the European Union and the Council of Europe and implemented by the Council of Europe under the Horizontal Facility for the Western Balkans and Türkiye III programme.