BURREL, JULY 13, 2010     Today, the Public Information Office in the Mat District Court was officially opened with a public ceremony attended by USAID Mission Director, Joseph C. Williams and Chief Judge, Artan Cupi. The Court’s Public Information Office will improve access to information for citizens, increase transparency of court procedures, and increase trust in the Court and the Albanian judicial system.

To tackle corruption in Albania’s judicial system, USAID’s Rule of Law program works with a set of 10 pilot courts to improve their performance and accountability to citizens.  One of several accountability measures introduced by USAID, public information offices serve as one-stop shops where citizens have quick and easy access to court documents. 

“Interventions like this, although relatively small, are those which make a real change in both the public’s actual experience, but also perception of the judiciary,” said Williams. “Interventions like this improve the delivery of justice in ways that citizens can see and feel.” 

In addition to establishing this office, USAID also provided fast-typing training for court secretaries to improve the quality and accuracy of session minutes. To improve transparency and assist the court in its financial planning and reporting, USAID provided the court with financial software and trained the court’s finance officer in its use. USAID purchased and installed an E-library (a CD-ROM that has legislation and important Constitutional and Supreme Court decisions) for each judge and trained them in Legal Research, Reasoning and Writing to improve judicial skills and the staff was trained in customer service.