According to the agreement, the two countries will split the recovered crime money equally. This proves that both countries work together to stop cross-border crime. The seized funds will now be used to help the public in both nations.

The arrangement was approved in a formal ceremony in Tirana on 13 July 2026, attended by Nicholas Abbott, His Majesty’s Ambassador to Albania, alongside Risena Xhaja, chief administrator of Albania’s Agency for the Management of Seized and Confiscated Property (AAPSK). It is the result of months of close collaboration between UK and Albanian law enforcement and judiciary, supported by the Home Office, the National Crime Agency (NCA) and the Crown Prosecution.

Serious organized crime remains a major threat to the UK and Albania. Criminal networks exploit weak borders and launder money using cash, informal transfers, and cryptocurrency. To fight this, both governments are working together to disrupt these groups and seize their illegal profits.

Albania’s Agency for the Administration of Seized and Confiscated Assets (AAPSK) has greatly increased its recovery of criminal money over the last two years. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, authorities seized more than €58 million in assets. This included over 1,000 real estate confiscations, showing how often criminals use property to hide illegal wealth. /m.q/j.p/p.s./

The visit was held under the umbrella of a Council of Europe project aimed at boosting public sector resilience to corruption, supported by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC).

Representatives of the French Agency for the Management and Recovery of Seized and Confiscated Assets hosted the Albanian delegation to share strategies for managing illicit wealth. Key topics included the administration of seized real estate and businesses, the handling of monetary and digital assets and procedures for the temporary use or sale of confiscated property.

The Albanian side focused on gathering asset recovery data and strengthening international cooperation to trace, seize and administer illegal proceeds. During study visits, representatives engaged with the French Ministry of Economy and Finance, the CDC, and the PIAC to learn firsthand how France successfully manages seized and confiscated assets with transparency and efficiency.

Chief Administrator Xhaja highlighted the professional exchange as a valuable opportunity to adopt the French model, strengthening Albania’s institutional capacity in asset management. The visit also served to explore new inter-institutional and international partnerships aimed at improving asset recovery and intensifying the fight against corruption and organized crime. The Agency remains committed to utilizing advanced European practices to ensure the seized and confiscated assets are managed transparently, effectively and in the public interest.

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Minister Lamallari said that the special fund transforms the mere seizure of illegal assets into a powerful tool for social good, signaling a shift from punitive action to constructive reinvestment.

“The confiscated criminal assets are being repurposed into vital social investments, transforming illicit gains into community benefits. This initiative, featuring 21 projects, acts as both a deterrent and a restorative tool by focusing on youth crime prevention, victim support, and rehabilitation”, said the minister.

“This marks a pivotal moment where we ensure justice is served, converting unlawful gains into tangible opportunities for our community,” said Lamallari.

On her part, AAPSK Director Risena Xhaja said that a new call for applications will be launched next year, inviting organizations to submit projects for the social reuse of confiscated assets. /p.s./

According to official data, several key institutions received funding with a total value of over 160 million lekë for major projects.

Thus, the General Directorate of the State Police received 28,800,000 lekë for logistical support and material and technical supply, while the General Directorate of Prisons benefited 16,305,380 lekë to improve the conditions of penitentiary administration.

During 2025, 10 million euros were also transferred to the state budget. This transfer constitutes a concrete indicator of the effectiveness of the confiscation mechanisms and the role of the Agency in the recovery of illegal assets in the public interest.

In parallel, investments in the Agency itself were supported with 20 million lekë, aiming to increase the internal administrative and operational capacities of the Agency.

In this context, the Agency is positioning itself as a key actor in the full cycle of fight against organized crime, from the seizure and management of assets, to their reinvestment in the justice and security system. /m.m/p.s./

Minister of Internal Affairs Albana Koçiu, Minister of Economy and Innovation Delina Ibrahimaj, Chief Administrator of the Seized and Confiscated Assets Administration Agency Risena Xhaja, together with Mayor of Kamza Rakip Suli and heads of vocational education visited the classrooms equipped with the necessary logistics for the development of professional practice.

Focusing on the source of these equipment, the minister emphasized the significance of using the seized assets in the public interest.

“We are making it possible for all the wealth created in a criminal form or due to corruption, that is, illegal activities, all these assets are now being returned to the benefit of the community, to the benefit of citizens, to those who are most in need and to the benefit of society”, underlined Koçiu.

On her part, Minister of Economy and Innovation Delina Ibrahimaj affirmed that today everything is moving towards innovation, so as many capacities as possible must be created in this sector.

“Our focus is to improve the vocational schools”, said Ibrahimaj.

Following this, Koçiu emphasized that the focus will be to support local government and the strata in need, through the social use of these assets. /m.q/j.p/p.s./

Minister of Internal Affairs Albana Koçiu, together with the team of the Agency for the Administration of Sequestered and Confiscated Assets, visited a two-story villa obtained from the criminal activity, which at present functions as a safe haven for victims of violence and human trafficking.

This model proves that illegally obtained assets can be restored into the service of society, transforming into concrete support for the most vulnerable categories.

By 2025, there have been implemented over 15 similar projects; there have been supported more than 20 institutions and there have been directly assisted around 300 victims of violence and trafficking, through protection, rehabilitation and reintegration services.

During the visit, Minister Koçiu stated that these assets represent a real opportunity to be turned into social and public services for the benefit of the community.

She emphasized that the two-story villa creates opportunities for the “Different, Equal” association to provide services to women and children victims of domestic violence or trafficking.

The minister underlined that the institutions will continue to work to return any illegally obtained assets into the service of the community, following all legal procedures.

Koçiu also praised the important role of associations that provide social services, emphasizing that support for them is necessary, which is also evidenced by the high number of beneficiaries. According to her, the location of these centers is also essential, as services must be provided in safe, discreet and protected environments, to guarantee the well-being and privacy of beneficiaries. /gj.m/r.e/p.s./

By the end of September 2025, net assets in private pension funds reached 14.3 billion lekë, marking an increase of 1.4 billion lekë, or 11.55%, compared to the end of 2024.

Growth figures reflect a steady upward trend in the sector, indicating increased confidence in private pension funds as a financial security tool for the future.

The number of fund members also rose significantly, reaching 48,864 by the end of September, a growth of 8.77% compared to the end of 2024.

Seven pension funds were active in the Albanian market during this period, showing positive performance in both assets and membership.

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Speaking before the Parliamentary Committees on Civic Initiatives, Institutional Oversight, and Legal Affairs, Lamallari said that investigations initiated directly by prosecutors rose by 12.3% in 2024.

“This marks the most significant increase in proactive investigations and asset seizures in the past five years,” he said.

Lamallari also reported progress in the fight against corruption, stating that 569 cases related to abuse of office and corruption were sent to trial, involving 234 defendants.

In terms of capacity building, over 1,500 justice professionals received training this year, including 190 dedicated sessions for prosecutors and judicial police officers.

The Special Anti-Corruption Structure (SPAK) registered 65 self-initiated investigations and launched 163 proceedings involving wiretaps, Lamallari said.

Despite the progress, the minister highlighted ongoing challenges, including a 34.5% vacancy rate across the justice system.

“There is still limited use of modern technologies in investigations. We continue to stress the need for more proactive and prosecutor-led investigations,” he said.

Looking ahead to 2025, Lamallari outlined five key priorities for the Ministry of Justice, namely the rule of law and human rights at the core of criminal justice processes; strengthening the fight against crime; ensuring integrity and transparency in prosecutorial activities; increasing institutional efficiency and capacity; promoting the use of modern investigative methods and inter-institutional cooperation.

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Xhaja took part in the panel “Funding Futures – Navigating Donor Shifts and Building Sustainability”, where she discussed innovations and alternative models for sustainable development through the social reuse of the seized and confiscated assets.

In her speech, she emphasized that Albania’s experience has shown that seized and confiscated assets are not only “a symbol of justice in action,” but also “a new source of economic and social empowerment for the groups in need and civil society organizations.”

“We have chosen the social reuse not only as a symbolic tool, but as an instrument of financial sustainability. By making confiscated assets available, organizations have generated income that enables them to build their capacities, provide better quality services and remain independent in their activities,” Xhaja said.

She brought concrete examples from Albania, such as the opening of social businesses on confiscated properties, the use of confiscated vehicles for community services and the transformation of public spaces once occupied by “car graveyards” into “green spaces for citizens.”

“Each of these initiatives is clear evidence that assets seized from criminal activities can serve the community and will be transformed into a legitimate resource, strengthening civil society and increasing its resilience in the face of the challenges of the time, but also serving the community and in particular vulnerable groups,” she underlined.

During the discussion, Xhaja also emphasized that Albania’s model is suitable to be shared with other countries in the region.

“In the Western Balkans, where international donors have been supportive and I take the opportunity to thank them, while civil society faces numerous pressures, such national mechanisms as the social reuse of confiscated assets create a new pillar of financial sustainability and public credibility,” she said.

Attending the panel were senior representatives of the European Commission, Sida, the Open Society Foundation, as well as regional and European actors, who shared their experiences and models for the long-term strengthening of civil society. /e.i/r.e/p.s./

The agreement was signed in Warsaw on the sidelines of the IV EU-Eastern Partnership Legal Forum. Chief Administrator of AAPSK Risena Xhaja and Director of ARMA Olena Duma signed the relevant agreement marking an important step towards building a common platform for improving effectiveness in the fight against corruption and other crimes with an economic impact.

The document foresees cooperation in areas such as: exchange of the best practices for the management and reuse of sequestrated and confiscated assets; organizing workshops and joint forums; establishing joint working groups and research projects and developing relations with international organizations.

Xhaja emphasized in her statement that, “This agreement marks not only technical cooperation, but also a joint commitment to strengthening the rule of law and the use of sequestrated and confiscated assets for the benefit of the public.”

For her part, Duma praised the strengthening of international cooperation in increasing institutional capacities and efficiency: “Partnerships like this are essential to ensure a coordinated and effective approach to illicit assets at the international level.”

The agreement enters into force immediately and will serve as a basis for information exchange and the development of a number of joint activities for the period ahead. /a.f/p.s./