Tirana, 22 February 2022 – Today is the European Day for Victims of Crime and the 30th anniversary of the day when the European countries created a legal and financial framework for the protection and compensation of the victims of crime. Around 75 million Europeans become victims of crime in the European continent because of racism, violence, terrorism, etc.
According to INSTAT Albania, there were at least 6475 crimes against the person in Albania for the year 2020, while at least 2000 of those crimes were committed against children, of which at least 150 are sexual crimes. The safety and protection of children from crime is the duty and responsibility of the Government and the Albanian institutions.
The compensation of the victims of crime in Albania is not a new notion, but it remains largely unimplemented since the perpetrator shall compensate the victim upon a court decision. However, many victims for fear of retaliation, do not follow the legal process for their compensation, while the Government never intervenes in supporting the victims’ cases. Meanwhile, compensation for child victims of crime remains an unenforced right to date.
Given such a grave situation for the rights of the victims, CRCA/ECPAT Albania on the European Day for the rights of the Victims of Crime, publicly announces our new legal initiative: Law for the Protection of Children Victims of Crime in Albania!
The initiative will engage some of the best experts of CRCA/ECPAT Albania, the public institutions and CSOs, aims to be submitted to the Parliament for approval on 1 June 2022, which corresponds with the Children’s Day in Albania.
Altin Hazizaj, Executive Director of CRCA/ECPAT Albania, during the introduction of the new initiative stated: “Every time a crime against a child occurs – that many times the institutions have failed children! Despite the extension of child protection system – to date, neither the Government nor any Municipality has provided adequate services and financial compensation to children victims of monstrous crimes committed against them. Today is the day to END this situation! The government has the legal and moral duty to protect children by fulfilling their obligations generating from the Constitution!”
Financial compensation for victims of crime is a well-known procedure across Europe, including Albania’s neighbours such as Kosovo and Northern Macedonia. Albania probably is the only country in Europe that does not compensate child’s victims of crime!
For more information, please contact:
Altin Hazizaj, Executiv Director of CRCA/ECPAT Albania
Cel: +355675002020
E-mail: crca@crca.al
Media contact:
Albana Mustafaraj
E-mail: albana.mustafaraj@crca.al