Albanian Court of Appeal faces severe space and security crises

The Court of Appeal of General Jurisdiction in Tirana is facing a severe crisis due to inadequate infrastructure and a massive increase in legal caseloads. Since the approval of a new judicial map in 2023, the court's jurisdiction has expanded to cover all of Albania, leading to a doubled staff and a surge in files. The volume of cases has grown from 33,000 to 48,000 over the last three years.

Physical constraints have forced the administration to use narrow corridors and consultation rooms as makeshift archives, with files stacked on shelves and chairs. This lack of space has compromised judicial security; consultation rooms have been converted into temporary storage, forcing judges to remove parties from the room to maintain privacy, though security measures remain insufficient. The aging building, originally constructed in 1957, suffers from dampness and mold, creating difficult working conditions for staff.