Photo Credit: Paul Cohn   In April, as part of our effort to inform the public of HIDAA’s role in fighting corruption citizens, media, and civil society participated in the first HIDAA Open Day where public officials were randomly selected to undergo a full audit of their asset declarations. Under the new Rule of Law program, USAID seeks to strengthen oversight and audit mechanisms in all branches of government.

Rule of Law Program in Albania

September 2007-July 2010

Partners:

• DPK Consulting
• Ministry of Justice
• High Council of Justice
• National Judicial Conference
• Judicial Budget Office

Program Description:
While in the last several years Albania has seen a strengthening of key oversight institutions and an increase in civic engagement, there remains a significant deficiency in the accountability and governance of Albanian courts. Albania’s challenges stem from a weakness in implementing and enforcing laws and a resulting low level of compliance. To address these issues, USAID’s Rule of Law program promotes court accountability by introducing transparency-enhancing measures in 10 pilot courts. It also targets audit institutions to oversee public sector accountability, and simultaneously steers assistance to media and watchdog organizations to shed the light of public scrutiny on public spending and the behavior of public officials.

Program Focus:

• Assist courts in meeting standards for performance, accountability and transparency;
• Improve performance and impact of oversight and audit institutions; and
• Enhance civic and media monitoring and engagement in monitoring of judicial institutions and courts.

Results to be Achieved:

• Better performance in more accountable, transparent and efficient courts;
• More effective oversight and audit bodies in anti-corruption efforts;
• Stronger, more financially viable civil society; and
• Greater citizen satisfaction related to court accessibility and transparency and greater public trust in oversight institutions performance.

Pilot Courts:

• District Court of Durrës
• District Court of Elbasan
• Appellate Court of Gjirokastër
• District Court of Mat
• District Court of Pogradec
• District Court of Sarandë
• District Court of Shkodër
• Serious Crimes Court of Tiranë
• District Court of Vlorë