WITNESSES PROTECTION IN FIGHTING ORGANISED CRIME

Abstract

Nowadays, the role of witnesses in the criminal process is becoming crucial. This is an evaluation made both from European and International Institutions. Seeing the increased threatening of civil population from terrorist acts, legal response against these acts should be stronger with strict enforcement measures not only legal but also institutional measurements against terrorist acts12 and all other illegal acts of organized crime. In democracy the rule of law is in place. At Albanian democracy exists some phenomena that unfortunately are associated with this kind of activity like drugs, children trafficking, weapons and prostitution trafficking, etc. All these criminal acts require collaboration between two or more persons as well as collaboration of foreign persons13 when criminal act is performed in a foreign state territory. It is well known that criminality is a complex phenomenon referring dimensional forms of figures and causes that determine the overall nature of criminality.
One of the main concerns for criminal justice system not only in Albania but also at European level is witness protection. For that reason this fact constitutes for us an important issue to be studied. This study intends to address and interpret standards determined by International Institutions and Council of Europe, European Unionas well ascollaboration between them.
There are some sub issues to be addressed under this study. These issues will target, explain and interpret the process of finding andcoordinating the balance between prosecution legal interest and witnesses and victim’s interest on fighting effectively serious crime and terrorism.