TIRANA, May 11  /ATA/ Minister of Justice Toni Gogu participated in the inauguration of renovated facilities at the Special Court against Corruption and Organized Crime (GJKKO), which included four courtrooms, two court halls, and 16 judges’ offices. In his remarks, Gogu framed the investment as part of Albania’s broader justice reform and the final phase of the country’s EU accession negotiations under Chapter 23.

Europe does not measure only the formal existence of institutions. It measures how they function every day: the efficiency of processes, the standard of judicial administration, legal certainty, and the trust citizens have in justice,’ said the Minister of Justice.

Speaking also as a former chancellor of the Tirana First Instance Court and former lecturer in Court Administration, Gogu emphasized that judicial infrastructure is not a peripheral issue, but a core part of the quality of justice.

“A courtroom is more than just the place where a verdict is delivered,’ he said. ‘It is a space where the state must ensure impartiality, security, procedural dignity, and the authority of the law,” he said.

The Minister recalled that in 2003, the Tirana First Instance Court inaugurated its first four modern courtrooms and launched automated case management, a key step in modernizing Albania’s judicial administration.

In his remarks, Gogu also addressed the public debate on courtroom security measures, emphasizing the need to balance security with adherence to European human rights standards.

“‘Courts dealing with organized crime face real security challenges, but any security measure must be proportionate, practical, and consistent with European standards,’ he said.

The Minister of Justice emphasized that the justice reform has entered the phase of consolidating institutions and standards, while the main challenge remains increasing the efficiency, professionalism, and public trust in the system.

/sm/