On 12 September 2024, BESp project had the privilege to celebrate a significant achievement, namely the official signing of Albania joining the HCCH Convention of 2 July 2019 on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Judgements in Civil or Commercial Matters (2019 Judgments Convention).
Ms. Evi Naku, Head of Cabinet of the Minister of Justice, signed, on behalf of the Republic of Albania and the signed copy of the Convention was deposited at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which has the constitutional obligation to safekeep international treaties.
At the ceremony, which was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, depositary of the HCCH Conventions, Ms. Evi Naku was accompanied by Ms. Diana Stillo Sila, Head of International Treaties Unit at the Ministry of Justice, Ms. Aida Gugu Bushati, Legal Expert on Private International Law, Academic at the School of Magistrates, His Excellency Mr. Artur Kuko, Ambassador of Albania to the Netherlands, and Ms. Eva Nastas, Counsellor at the Embassy of Albania.
On behalf of the Center for International Legal Cooperation (CILC), the ceremony was attended by Ms. Kardelen Akkus, Shiraka & Matra Advisor, Netherlands Enterprise Agency (RVO), Ministry of Economic Affairs and Climate Policy of the Netherlands, Mr. Jos Uitdehaag, Lead Expert, Balkan Enforcement Strengthening Project (BESp), and Ms. Zlaty Mihailova, Senior Expert and Project Manager of BESp.
The depositary was represented by Mr. Rieks Boekholt, acting Head of the Treaties Division, and Mr. Stephan Hessels, Legal Officer at the Treaties Division, while the Permanent Bureau of the HCCH was represented by Ms. Melissa Ford, Secretary (Diplomat Lawyer) and Head of the Transnational Litigation and Apostille Division.
The BESp project has been actively promoting the 2019 Judgments Convention, organizing national roundtables among legal professionals and international forums in the Western Balkans. It facilitated and supported Albania’s course into acceding to the Convention.
The 2019 Judgments Convention will enter into force for the Republic of Albania after it is ratified by Parliament. Currently, 30 HCCH Members are either bound by the Convention or a Contracting Party for which the Convention has not entered into force yet (United Kingdom and Uruguay). The EU countries acceded jointly and with the support of BESp Montenegro and North Macedonia also signed the Convention and became party to it in 2023. More information on this Convention is available on the Judgments Section of the HCCH website.
