“A strong, independent and accountable justice system is one of the main pillars of European integration,” Gogu said.

He said reforms, including the harmonisation of judicial statistics, improvements to court infrastructure, stronger protections for journalists and enhanced efforts to combat crime, were helping build a more efficient, transparent and credible justice system.

According to the Justice Ministry, judicial statistics have been aligned with the standards of the European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ), while inter-institutional agreements have been signed to harmonise, implement and publish national justice data.

The ministry said measures had also been introduced to reduce court backlogs through a dedicated roadmap and by increasing staffing levels, including the recruitment of new judges, legal assistants and support personnel.

As part of efforts to improve transparency, decisions relating to the appointment, evaluation and career development of judges and prosecutors have also been made public, giving citizens greater access to information and strengthening institutional accountability.

Gogu said the reforms would reinforce the rule of law and move Albania closer to full membership of the European Union.

/gj.m/ /a.g/u.sh/