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Electronic publication of acts and their entry into force through the electronic Official Journal is already a near future reality. After quite a long drafting and discussion process, the Parliamentarian Law Commission examined on Monday (8 October 2012) the draft law “On Center of Official Publications”. The draft law in question prepares the ground for the electronic publication of the Official Journal, marking a crucial step toward the modernization of the system of official publications, increase of access to legislation and progressive reduction of paper print cost of the Official Journal.
The Center for Public Information Issues which has advocated for years the enhancement of public access to official acts, has closely followed both the process of formulation of the draft law and discussions recently developed at the Parliamentarian Law Commission.
Regarding these discussions, CPII observes that they were serious, professional and with the shared objective of both parties to finalize a contemporary law to properly reflect the specific Albanian needs and circumstances.
As far as the draft is concerned, CPII considers that it is carefully and seriously devised by the Ministry of Justice. It has broadly reflected CPII recommendations addressed through annual Reports “Transparency of Official Publications in the Republic of Albania” since 2008. In this context, we recall that on 2 December 2010, CPII organized the round table “STRENGTHENING OF GOVERNMENTAL TRANSPARENCY THROUGH PROMOTING THE ELECTRONIC PUBLICATION OF OFFICIAL ACTS”, in the framework of a project cooperation with the National Endowment for Democracy, headquartered in Washington DC. On behalf of the Ministry of Justice, this round table as the first of its kind was attended by the Deputy Minister of Justice, Mrs. Brikena Kasmi (see below the photographs or audio-video material).
For the first time the round table managed to identify a legal approach to shift to the electronic Official Journal, without necessarily affecting the Constitution. The draft law which is expected to be shortly approved, is precisely based on this approach. Likewise, after being transcribed, all discussions of the Round Table were submitted for further evaluation to the Ministry of Justice.
In the framework of this activity, CPII commissioned two independent experts (Petrit Dollani and Rovena Bahiti) to prepare and launch a comparative study on the practice of European countries which in the meantime had shifted to the electronic publication of their Official Journal and cost-effectiveness of such an undertaking. (download the study by clicking here / only in Albanian language).
In fact the recommendation for the transition from the hard copy Official Journal to the electronic one through legal amendment has been consistently incorporated in the 2008 and 2010 Reports, supported by Soros Foundation. In this context, the rapid finalization of this process is a common success of all these stakeholders.
Below we have listed as links the key moments of this process. CPII expresses once more its gratitude to the Ministry of Justice, Soros Foundation, National Endowment for Democracy, and all experts involved in this process to be finalized soon. A special merit must be recognized to the actual minister of justice, Mr. Eduard Halimi, for his direct contribution to push forward towards finalizing this very important process which was started by CPII 4 years ago.
Linked below there is an original copy of the project law, not under discussion process in the Parliamentarian Law Commission. you may also lime to have a look on the audio video materials from the round table “STRENGTHENING OF GOVERNMENTAL TRANSPARENCY THROUGH PROMOTING THE ELECTRONIC PUBLICATION OF OFFICIAL ACTS”, organised by CPII in 2010, in the framework of the cooperation with the National Endowment for Democracy,
download the research ordered by CPII (only in Albanian language)
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