European and regional media freedom organisations, together with Albanian CSOs, including BCSDN member Partners Albania, have welcomed Albania’s draft anti-SLAPP legislative package while calling for targeted improvements to strengthen its effectiveness. In an open letter addressed to Minister of Justice Toni Gogu on 6 October, the signatories recognise the progress made towards stronger safeguards for journalists, media workers, civil society and others engaged in public participation. They particularly welcome the draft’s application to both domestic and cross-border proceedings, going beyond the minimum scope of the EU Anti-SLAPP Directive. The organisations recommend strengthening the early-dismissal mechanism, revising the definition of abusive proceedings and ensuring that safeguards are workable in practice. They also call for addressing the continued criminalisation of defamation and insult, which risks undermining civil anti-SLAPP protections, and ensuring meaningful and inclusive public consultation before the draft is submitted to Parliament. Read more here.
Source: National Resource Centre of Civil Society in Albania
