News and press releases

The OSCE brought together 22 dog handlers from across Europe, including from Ukraine, for a workshop to strengthen their expertise and skills in detecting illicit firearms from 9 to 13 June in Tallinn, Estonia.

Eleven journalists from different media outlets participated in a training aiming to enhance the quality of reporting on incidents related to small arms and light weapons (SALW), with a specific focus on gender-based violence, on 3 June 2025. The interactive training was organized by the OSCE Presence as part of its support to Albanian authorities’ efforts to strengthen public awareness about the risks and misuse of SALW.

Transnational organized crime, specifically drug trafficking, remains a critical, shared threat that transcends national borders. It can only be effectively countered through co-ordinated, joint action grounded in international collaboration, sustained strategic commitment, and mutual trust. This was emphasized at the opening of a three-day international conference “Connecting the Drugs: Challenges and Threats from Expanding Trans-Atlantic Collusion and Traffic in Drug Crime”, organized by the OSCE Mission...

On 24 April 2025, in the lead-up to the parliamentary elections due on 11 May, the OSCE Presence in Albania, in co-operation with the General Directorate of Prisons, organized a comprehensive training seminar for about 45 senior prison staff on prisoners’ right to vote. The purpose of this training was to support prison authorities to ensure the protection and facilitation of prisoners’ voting rights, in line with national laws and international standards.

To mark this progress, the Mission organized a joint progress meeting on 16 April 2025 in Sarajevo, bringing together over 40 representatives, including heads of law enforcement agencies, and international partners.

The OSCE Presence in Albania held an intensive training programme focused on strengthening the analytical capabilities of the Albanian State Police. The programme aimed to enhance the capacity of police analysts to identify, assess and prioritize criminal threats, with a focus on organized crime networks operating in Albania.

On 10 April 2025, the OSCE Presence in Albania and the General Prosecutor’s Office organized a workshop aimed at enhancing investigative and prosecution capacities of electoral crimes ahead of 11 May parliamentary elections.