TIRANA, July 14 – With much of the country’s political focus on the upcoming reform of the judicial system, a U.S.-funded project inaugurated this week has made it possible to store digital audio recordings of court sessions held in every courtroom in Albania.
With the assistance of the USAID to the Albanian Justice Ministry and the High Council of Justice, they have created the Central Archive where they can store digital audio recordings of court sessions held in every courtroom in Albania.
That archive offers high levels of data security and the ability to access audio recordings remotely by authorized uses, such as judicial inspectors.
“That also may be used as a database to investigate complaints against judges and provide data to support the evaluation of judges for promotion or disciplinary measures,” a statement issued by the organizers said.
The technology supported by USAID covers nowadays more than 80 percent of all court hearings recorded through digital audio recording, available in all the 140 courtrooms of 36 courts in the country. USAID has trained 740 court personnel, including judges and administrative court staff on DAR system usage.
The DAR system guarantees verbatim records of the court hearings and as a consequence a more efficient and accountable judiciary with more transparency and fairness for the parties, according to the project.
U.S. Ambassador Donald Lu, Minister of Justice Nasip Naço and Chief Justice of the Supreme Court Xhezair Zaganjori delivered remarks at the inauguration ceremony held in Tirana.
The five-year USAID Albanian Justice Sector Strengthening Project (JuST), begun in October 2010 and aims at increasing court transparency, fairness and efficiency; bolstering watchdog and anti-corruption roles of civil society organizations and media; and strengthening the legal profession and legal education in Albania.
