Open Society Foundation for Albania

	21 March 2009 International Conference on challenges of the constitutional system 22 December 2008 Civil Society Law “On Legal Aid” passed by Parliament 1 November 2008 Report on Albania’s progress monitoring in the European integration process 24 October 2008 Third state budget monitoring report issued 4 September 2008 Encouragement of cooperation between local government and central institutions onwards 10 july 2008 Interim SAA monitoring report issued 4 july 2008 Transformation of “Besa” Foundation underway 27 june 2008 National conference organized on community organization issues and models 26-27 june 2008 Training seminar held with local government bodies on profits from EU funds 17 june 2008 First report on government efforts to re-build Gërdec issued 13 june 2008 Second 2008 state budget monitorin report published 10 june 2008 Regional project on visa facilitation for Western Balkans introduced 6 may 2008 Round table on transparency in education and promotion of teacher code of ethics 22 april 2008 Round table on state budget monitoring 14 april 2008 Cooperation practices between business and civil society promoted 29 march 2008 Free legal aid for the inhabitants of Gërdec 20 march 2008 Aid to individuals displaced due to Gërdec tragedy 13 march 2008 Lobbying on the law on the right to information under way 15 february 2008 Public presentation of the recommending document on the electoral reform 26 january 2008 Lobbing and advocacy on encouragement of social inclusion November 2007 Training courses on participatory governance 5 November 2007 Third report on monitoring the Assembly activity presented 2 November 2007 American University in Bulgaria evening with high school students 1 November 2007 Monitoring of commitments deriving from the SAA 18 October 2007 Survey on European Integration issues 15-19 October 2007 Team training and supplement production on European Integration 15 October 2007 International Conference on public urban spaces in Albania 12 October 2007 National conference on strategic privatizations 5 October 2007 New draft-law against discrimination proposed 15 September 2007 Dialogue required on government-proposed amendment to law on non-profit organizations 14 September 2007 Activities on the draft-law on electoral reform 3 August 2007 Students and public life 20 July 2007 Debating the law regarding publishing and the copyright 11 July 2007 Debating some amendments of the law on the right for information 10 July 2007 Presentation of the project for a sharing budget 29 June 2007 Increasing the management capacity of the municipality and involvement of citizens in the decision-taking process 25 June 2007 Amendment proposal for the law 8503 regarding the right for information 21 June 2007 The employment of students graduated abroad in the public administration 30 May 2007 Dialog civil society - government aiming at the reduction of informality 11 May 2007 Second report on the activity of Albanian Parliament is published 4 April 2007 Memorandum of the farmers for exports complying European standards 29 March 2007 Monitoring of the parliamentary process of drafts law debating 28 March 2007 The civil society is in favor of the creation of a state committee against blood feud 16 March 2007 Monitoring of the migration strategy 26 February 2007 Signature of the Memorandum of Understanding 18-20 February 2007 Parallel counting of votes 13 February 2007 The Civil Society demands the relaxation of conflictuality of the election campaign 3 February 2007 Local elections 2007 online by the MJAFT Movement 30 January 2007 Seminar on “Improving public transportation in the region of Tirana” 23 Janauary 2007 Memorandum of civil society to protect its own constitutional rights 18 January 2007 Call of the civil society for a civilized election campaign 22 December 2007 Winners announced for the “Public-private partnership” contest 19 December 2006 Workshop "Albania's Interim Agreement with the EU and its effects on the Albanian Business" 1 December 2006 Debate of the civil society about the new draft law concerning the State Police 21 November 2006 Presenting the findings of the survey “Albania and the EU – Perceptions and Realities” 18 November 2006 The Conference “Albania and Greece – Mutual perceptions” 6-10 November 2006 Seminar on the challenges of European Integration 3 November 2006 Debate about book policies in the countries of Western Balkans 3 November 2006 AUBG closes recruitment ceremony with fourth-grade students of high schools in Tirana 1 November 2006 Organization that builds school wins case against Albanian government 14 October 2006 Standards in pre-university education 10 October 2006 Presentation of the monitoring report ivote.com - January-July 2006 16 September 2006 Historical turns and the return of memory

22 December 2008

The Assembly of the Republic of Albania approved at a majority of votes on the 22nd December 2008 the law “On Legal Aid”, proposed by the civil society. This law was a fruit of the project organized by the Free Legal Service, Tirana, in co-operation with the Women Advocacy Center, the Albanian Helsinki Committee, Office of Citizen Protection, National Advocacy Center, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Labor, the High Council of Justice, General Prosecutor’s Office upon the assistance of Soros
Foundation. The aim of the project was to:

- establish a structured system of legal aid;
- promote this system and access to justice to the people in need;
- built efficacy in legal aid and human rights protection.

The free legal aid has started operating in Albania since 1997, coming to the assistance of the population strata in need, namely the veterans, the disabled and to all those persons who have no possibilities to face the financial implications of the various justice system chains. The project implementation was divided in three phases. The first phase included a round table focusing on discussions on the new “Legal Aid” draft-law. The draft-law was written taking into account the ten-year-old Albanian practice, the hitherto approved laws, a special UNICEF report as well as the CoE recommendations. It is in the same phase that monitoring of the Judiciary Budget Administration Office, General Prosecutor’s Office and of some court took place. Study visits were also organized in Bosnia and Romania, countries that have drafted legal aid laws, and a final report was also submitted.

The second phase contained some expert round tables focusing on improvement of the draft-law, and its preparation of the final draft. The third phase contained some TV features, special radio programmes, publications of media supplements, public awareness raising and other activities. The entirety of these activities led to the approval of the law by the Assembly of Albania in December of 2008.