Minister Gogu Tells Parliamentary Legal Affairs Committee Criminal Justice Policy Is Entering a Results-Based Phase

The 2026 Priority Recommendations for the struggle against crime were presented by Minister of Justice Toni Gogu to the Parliamentary Committee on Legal Affairs and Public Administration.
During the hearing, Minister Gogu underscored that the primary innovation of this year is the adoption of a methodology for evaluating and monitoring the implementation of priority recommendations, which is accompanied by measurable performance indicators. He believes that the purpose of this instrument is to transition criminal justice policy from a concentration on declarations and commitments to the assessment of tangible outcomes.
The minister announced that the methodology was authorized through Order No. 20 of January 19, 2026, establishing a framework that enables the continuous monitoring and assessment of the implementation of recommendations from year to year.
Gogu posits that the 2026 priority recommendations are organized around eight key areas and concentrate on the following: the protection of human rights in criminal proceedings, the combating of organized crime, parallel financial investigations and the confiscation of criminal assets, cybercrime and virtual assets, electoral offenses, and the strengthening of institutional and international cooperation.
The minister emphasized that the independence of justice institutions is a fundamental principle of the rule of law and should not be confounded with interference in specific investigations and criminal justice policy. The minister stated that the establishment of priorities at the public policy level is in accordance with European standards and does not compromise the discretion of investigative and judicial authorities in this context.
Minister Gogu also observed that the priority recommendations are directly associated with the objectives of Chapter 23 of Albania’s negotiations with the European Union. He noted that the European integration process necessitates the establishment of institutions, as well as measurable, verifiable, and sustainable results in the field of the rule of law.