Deputy Ombudsman Ivan Šelih is attending an international conference in Tirana, Albania, entitled “National and International Structures to Protect Human Rights: Good Practices and Lessons Learned”, organised by the Albanian Ombudsman Institution to mark its 25th anniversary. Šelih congratulated the host, the Albanian Ombudsman Erinda Ballanca, on her honourable anniversary and thanked her for the important work she and her colleagues do at both the national and international levels.

Human rights work is crucial in modern society to ensure justice, respect for the dignity of every individual, and to strengthen trust in institutions. In Albania, where democratic processes have undergone significant changes and developments in recent decades, the protection of human rights is of particular importance.

"The Albanian Ombudsman institution is a key support and advocate for the individual against the power of the authorities. Not only from the perspective of addressing specific cases of human rights violations, preparing reports, cooperating with non-governmental organisations, and actively participating in international networks in the field of human rights – among other things, they were among the founding members of the SEE NPM Network in 2013, but also in the context of Albania's efforts for further democratisation, strengthening the rule of law and approximation to European human rights standards," believes Ivan Šelih.

As he said, networking and cooperation between institutions play a key role in responding effectively to modern challenges that increasingly transcend the borders of individual countries, affect wider regions and require coordinated responses. International cooperation also strengthens trust between countries and contributes to the common goal – a safe, just, and inclusive society for all. In doing so, both the previous and current leadership of the Albanian Ombudsman institution thanked their Slovenian colleagues for their valuable support in establishing their office, preparing the legal basis, and for numerous study visits and professional cooperation, which have been an important source of knowledge in the development of their institution over the past 25 years.

According to Šelih, human rights institutions play an important role in a democratic society: they independently monitor the activities of the authorities and point out violations, systemic shortcomings, and deviations from fundamental values ​​such as dignity, equality, and the rule of law. Their mission is not to oppose the authorities, but to provide professional, constructive criticism for the good of the people. "A mature democratic system recognises these institutions as allies in creating a more just society. The task of the authorities is to respect their independence, implement recommendations, and ensure the conditions for their smooth operation. When institutions do not have legitimate leadership, their influence, legitimacy, and public trust are reduced," warns Deputy Ombudsman Šelih, adding that strong and independent leadership of these institutions is the foundation of every developed state governed by the rule of law.

The event is being attended by high-ranking representatives of national and international human rights institutions, including the President of the Constitutional Court of Albania, the Minister of Justice of Albania, representatives of the European Ombudsman, the EU Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA), ENNHRI, the Council of Europe, the UN, OSCE, and other organisations. On the eve of the conference, which took place on 25 June 2025, the Speaker of the Parliament of the Republic of Albania, Elisa Spiropali, also addressed the guests.