EU4Justice — under Activity 1.3.1.8 of its work plan — in cooperation with the High Judicial Council (HJC) and the School of Magistrates, organised a series of training workshops on the Code of Ethics and the handling of ethical dilemmas faced by magistrates, aimed to strengthen understanding of judicial ethics, reinforce standards of professional conduct and promote a coherent, integrity-based approach across the justice system.

The fourth and final session of this cycle took place on 25 November 2025 in Shkodra, gathering 20 magistrates from the courts and prosecution offices of the Shkodra, Lezha and Dibra districts. Opening the session, Ms Irena Plaku, HJC Member and Chair of the Ethical and Professional Evaluation Committee, underlined that ethics remains essential to judicial independence, impartiality and public trust. Opening remarks were also delivered by Ms Albana Boksi, HJC Ethical Advisor and High Court Judge, who stressed the importance of integrity, accountability and transparency in judicial functions, and by Mr Arben Lila, EU4Justice Senior Legal Expert, who highlighted the need for continuous internal dialogue within the judiciary to address evolving ethical challenges of modern judicial practice.

In her keynote presentation, Ms Boksi introduced the Guidelines on Ethical Dilemmas, developed with substantial support from EU4Justice. She outlined their objectives, structure and scope, emphasising their value as a practical tool to help magistrates identify, analyse and resolve ethically sensitive situations encountered in their daily work.

Participants engaged in an open and wide-ranging discussion on practical dilemmas, including communication with parties and lawyers, relations between judges and prosecutors, extra-professional activities, the online/social media presence of magistrates, compliance with HJC regulations on the recording of court hearings etc.. Discussions also addressed participation in public events involving political actors, communication during ongoing cases, the duty of reserve, recusal procedures, and the ethical implications of workload planning, including the scheduling of a high number of hearings.

By providing concrete examples and fostering constructive exchange, the workshops strengthened awareness of ethical expectations and supported the development of consistent, value-driven decision-making across the judiciary. This final session, and the training cycle as a whole, contributed to enhancing institutional capacities and reaffirmed the HJC’s commitment to promoting integrity, professionalism and accountability, thereby reinforcing public trust in Albania’s justice system.