Prizren, 23 June 2026 – The Ombudsperson of the Republic of Kosovo, Mr. Naim Qelaj, the Ombudsman of the Republic of North Macedonia, Mr. Faton Selami, and the Ombudsman of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Endrit Shabani, signed today in Prizren a Cooperation Agreement, establishing a new and more advanced framework of institutional cooperation in the function of protecting and promoting human rights in the region.

Initially, the parties discussed issues of common interest such as civil and family matters with a cross-border element; the role of the Ombudsman institution in protecting the right to health; the protection of children in street situations and other vulnerable categories; cooperation in handling individual cases involving more than one country; the rights of persons deprived of liberty during the first hours of the interview and the role of audio-visual recording in guaranteeing a due process of law; the Rights and Legal Guarantees of Foreign Nationals in Places of Deprivation of Liberty and in Judicial Processes, as well as opportunities for joint regional actions, initiatives and activities.

The Agreement is based on the international principles governing the work of national human rights institutions, including the Paris Principles and the Venice Principles, and reflects the joint commitment of the three institutions to strengthen the rule of law, democracy and the protection of fundamental human rights.

Through this agreement, the parties commit to intensifying and structuring their cooperation in areas of common interest, including the protection of children’s rights, the prevention of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment, combating discrimination, protecting the rights of migrants and refugees, improving conditions in places of deprivation of liberty, promoting access to justice, addressing environmental and climate challenges, and protecting digital rights in the era of new technologies.

The agreement provides for the organization of an annual regional conference, which will serve as a platform for discussing developments in the field of human rights and will culminate in the adoption of a joint declaration on the situation of human rights in the region.

An important aspect of the cooperation will be the creation of mechanisms dedicated to the more efficient handling of cases involving citizens of one state within the jurisdiction of another state, enabling direct inter-institutional communication and more effective protection of their rights.

The agreement also provides for the exchange of professional experiences, the development of joint training, the exchange of experts and the coordination of positions in international and regional human rights forums.

Recognizing the common challenges and the close cultural and social ties in the region, the three institutions reaffirmed their commitment to act in solidarity and to support each other in protecting institutional independence and advancing human rights standards.

The signing of this Agreement represents an important step towards strengthening regional cooperation and creating a more coordinated approach to the protection and promotion of human rights in Kosovo, Albania and North Macedonia.