Program Team Leader Mr. Ansi Shundi and Grant Scheme Manager Ms. Miranda Fishka, met with Shkodra LPD Director Mr. Fatmir Lleshaj and other managers of the LPD on 26 November 2024. This meeting was organized in the framework of the implementation of the work plan activities and in order to share and exchange information on the Grant Scheme, which will support the creation of partnerships to facilitate the achievement of key results across all three SCPA Program pillars.  PMT informed Shkodra LPD managers that the First Call for Grant Applications will be organized soon and Shkodra LPD is one of the four targeted LPDs. In addition, to this activity the PMT discussed on the Domestic Violence activities and delivered to Shkodra LPD the promotional/visibility materials produced by the SCPA Program in the framework of the International Domestic Violence Awareness Week. The DV visibility materials produced by the SCPA Program will be displayed in the LPD premises to raise awareness with the wider community and further distributed by the relevant DV structures within the community especially at schools to raise awareness on DV with youth. The SCPA PMT participated in the coordination meeting organized by Ms Majlinda Angoni, the Prefect of Shkodra, for the revitalization of Local Councils on Public Safety (LCPS) following the approval of the CoM Decision No. 678, dated 30.10.2024 on ‘Structure, detailed rules of organization and functioning of the LCPS and the National Council of Community Safety”. The SCPA program will support the activities related to LCPS in Shkodra during next year.

Program Team Leader Mr. Ansi Shundi and Monitoring and Evaluation Expert Ms. Eldisa Zhebo, participated in the meeting initiated by the Ministry of the Interior and organized on November 18th, 2024, in the premises of the Elbasan District Prefecture. This meeting was organized in the framework of the approval of the CoM Decision on Local Public Safety Councils (LCPS), with the participation of the representatives of the Ministry of Interior, Elbasan District Prefecture, municipalities and police commissariats, SCPA Program and the OSCE Presence in Albania. Following more than 8 years of collaboration and cooperation on the organization and functioning of the LCPS, the SCPA Program and the OSCE Presence in Albania congratulated the approval of the CoM Decision on LCPS. In this framework, a round of meetings has been initiated in all the districts to emphasize the importance of establishing the LCPS. In the municipalities where the LCPS has been operational the legal basis is now in force, whereas in the municipalities in which LCPS do not exist, it is mandatory to establish the LCPS within 3 months from the approval of the CoM Decision on LCPS. This meeting is deliberately organized in Elbasan, considering the successful experience of LCPS in the municipalities of Elbasan, Cërrik and Belsh. The SCPA program reiterated its ongoing support on LCPS and public order and security in this region. At the end of the meeting, the representatives of the Ministry of Interior and Elbasan District Prefecture expressed their appreciation on the cooperation and support provided to date by the international partners and their interest in the continuation of such useful cooperation.         

On November 6, 2024, the General Directorate of the Albanian State Police, Executive Director Mr. Ilir Proda held a meeting with Mrs. Linda Gjermani, Programme Officer at the Embassy of Sweden and Mr. Ansi Shundi, Team Leader of the SCPA Programme – ‘Strengthening Community Policing in Albania’. Mr. Proda appreciated the cooperation and support provided to date by the Swedish Government. The Swedish Government, through its programmes financed in many years, is one of the main stakeholders of the Albanian State Police especially in the Community Policing area. The Albanian Police has benefited from the best practices implemented and from the investments developed in the framework of programmes, which have had an impact not only in the police infrastructure but also in the equipment provided. General Director also emphasized the important role of the prevention in relation to creating safer communities and the importance of the increase of citizens’ trust in police services, areas where the programmes funded by the Swedish Government have been involved. On behalf of the Swedish Embassy, Mrs. Gjermani emphasized the fruitful cooperation and partnership established with the Albanian State Police and other beneficiaries of the Community Policing Programme and the tangible results achieved by this cooperation. She informed the ASP managers that in addition to the SCPA Programme, the Swedish Embassy intends to fund another programme as a bilateral cooperation between the Swedish Police and the Albanian State Police, focusing on capacities’ enhancement as regards the crime scene investigation and forensics and sexual and gender-based violence cases. This second programme is expected to commence early 2025. SCPA Program Team Leader Mr. Shundi informed on the activities developed on the third phase of the Programme, which started in July 2024. The focus of the programme will be improving the effectiveness of CP implementation, enhancement of accountability and coordination of police with other local stakeholders and enhancement of prevention capacities, including the project ‘Safe Schools” and road traffic safety. At the end of the meeting, both parties expressed their appreciation for the fruitful and successful cooperation during the last twelve years and their intention to further continue such cooperation.