This electronic publication is comprised of cases of environmental crime reported by the media and environmental associations and developments around this issue in our country. It was created by environmental organization and members of the environmental crime advisory group in Albania as an instrument to collect and communicate specific cases of environmental crime with the help of law enforcement authorities.

Impunity remains a key issue in law enforcement on environmental issues of environmental crime offenses. Although 2021 was a busy year with many events which have violated the environment and natural values, the police managed to refer 10.2% more cases compared to 2020 and with a detection level of 95%. Almost multiple fires in each season, assessed in most cases as intentional, constitute only 40 cases or 12.7% of cases referred to the prosecution by the Police. However, no detainees have been convicted by the court for these offenses according to the prosecution report for 2021. By on the other hand, the issue of waste, which occupies the main place in the media addressing the issue environmental, passes completely unpunished. Such situations with the environment seem to occur alone by persons who always go in the “unknown direction”, on a sunny day.

Concern about environmental punishment, instead of the perpetrators of such acts, has raised civil society, as openly articulated by a good part of the community.

In this context, REC Albania and the OSCE Presence in Albania have taken the initiative to publish a publication entitled “Environmental Crime Digest” with the contribution of all members of the Environmental Crime Advisory Group, as a useful contribution to strengthen a cooperation much needed among all civil society actors.

We hope that the issues included in this publication and those that will follow throughout the year provide recommendations, good practices, case studies and important information, to help relevant agencies make informed and evidence-based decision-making.

To download the newsletter, please click here: Environmental Crime, May 2022.