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Elira KOKONA

 

WORK EXPERIENCE

1. Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Ministers of Albania / General Director of Regulatory and Legal Compliance Department at the Albanian Prime Minister's Office (October 2018 – ongoing);

2. Secretary General, Ministry of Justice of Albania, Tirana, Albania (October 2017 - October 2018);

3. Secretary General, Ministry of Culture of Albania, Tirana, Albania (October 2013 - October 2017)

4. Executive Director, Albanian Advocate School in the National Bar Association of Tirana, Albania (July 2013 - October 2013)

5. Practicing lawyer and partner at Law Firm “Haxhia & Hajdari” (October 2009 - October 2013)

6. Program Advisor in the Legal and Capacity Building Department, General Directorate for Human Rights and Legal Affairs, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France (1 January 2008 - 30 June 2009)

7. Reference Lawyer at the European Court of Human Rights, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France (15 July 2002 - 31 December 2007)

8. Lawyer at the Secretariat of the European Court of Human Rights, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France, (1 April - 30 June 2002)

 

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

1. Albanian national representative to Council of Europe - European Commission for the Efficiency of Justice (CEPEJ) (2018 – onwards);

2. Member of the Managing Committee of State Agency of Cadaster (2019 – onwards);

3. Member of the Managing Committee of Civil Aviation Authority (2018 – onwards;

4. Chairperson of the Administration Board of the University of Arts, Tirana Albania (March 2017-2019);

5. Member of intellectual Property experts’ group, at European Commission, Directorate-General for Internal Market, Industry, Entrepreneurship and SMEs, Innovation and Advanced Manufacturing, Intellectual Property and Fight Against Counterfeiting (2014 – 2018) ;

6. National representative of the Council of Europe Committee on Offences relating to Cultural Property (April 2016 – October 2017);

7. National representative of the Council of Europe Steering Committee for Culture, Heritage and Landscape (CDCPP) (February 2015 – October 2017);

8. Legal Representative of Ministry of Culture of Albania in the Creative Europe European Union Programme (July 2014 – October 2017);

9. Member of the Leading Council of the Albanian National Bar Association Tirana, Albania (January 2013 -October 2013);

10. Member of the General Assembly of the Albanian National Bar Association, Tirana, Albania (November 2012- October 2013);

 

LEGAL EXPERTISES

1. Expert in CEPEJ project, Council of Europe project, within the SEJ Program entitled “Improving the quality and efficiency of the judiciary through infrastructure development and better management” (May 2014 - March 2016)

2. Council of Europe expert in a 6-person working group, Project on “Increasing the capacity of lawyers to meet the admission criteria in applications submitted to the European Court of Human Rights”, Human Rights Program Human Rights in Education, Directorate General of Human Rights, Council of Europe, Strasbourg, France (March 2012 - December 2012)

3. Experts in training courses aimed at enhancing the capacity of Albanian judges to implement the Albanian law on protection against discrimination, Albanian Human Rights Group (April 2011-December 2011)

4. Expert on the High Court Reform Project, at The Lord Slynn of Hardley, European Law Foundation 7-8 Essex Street, London WC2R 3LD (January-December 2010)

5. CoE Consultant in European for Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (HELP programme) (2013);

6. CoE Consultant in the project “ Learning the main principals and the functioning of the European System of Protection of Human Rights“ of the CoE, Education Department, among to prepare “ Lesson plans for upper secondary schools - landmark judgments of the ECtHR (2013);

7. International Expert at USAid Albania providing short-term technical assistance to the Rule of Law Program (ROLP) in Albania for improving the quality of judicial decisions given in the ROLP’s ten pilot courts (2009);

8. Consultant for the Open Society Foundation Albania on preparing activities such as (discussion forums on ECtHR cases related to Albania with Albanian government representatives; a series of trainings of judges, prosecutors; lawyers on ECtHR; round tables on ECtHR issues) (2011-2012);

9. Consultant and Coordinator of the monthly bulletin of the Albanian Centre for Human Rights ( July 2009- December 2010);

 

EDUCATION, ACADEMIC TITLES AND OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

  • November 2013 onwards - PhD Candidate, International Public Law, Law Faculty, Tirana University
  • 24 June 2005 - 2nd cycle Master: Advocacy, Italian National Bar: Qualified Lawyer degree (Avvocato), Establishment: Rome Bar Association, ROME, Italy
  • 20 March 2004 - 2nd cycle Master: Advocacy, Albanian National Bar: Qualified Lawyer degree (Avokat), Establishment: Albanian Bar Association, TIRANA, Albania
  • 2001 – 2002 - 2nd cycle (Master) Laurea in Giurisprudenza in International Law, Thesis "Property Rights in the Former socialist countries' legislations and the right to property in the meaning of the European Convention on Human Rights. The Albanian case" Law Faculty, University “La Sapienza” Rome, Italy
  • 1997 – 2001 - LLB 1st cycle (Bachelor) Law Faculty, University “La Sapienza” Rome, Italy
  • 1994 – 1997 - LLB 1st cycle (Bachelor), Law Faculty, University of Tirana, Albania

 

ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES

1. Lecturer on ECHR issues, Albanian School of Advocate, Tirana (2013 to present);

2. Lecturer on ECHR issues, Albanian School of Magistrate, Tirana (2009 to present);

3. Lecturer on Convention issues in Council of Europe activities held in Albania, Azerbaijan Georgia, Kosovo, FYROM etc. (December 2007- present);

4. Guest Lecturer in the MA Course “Diritto Dell'unione Europea” guided by Professor Augusto Sinagra, Faculty of Political Science, University La Sapienza, Italy (January 2009 – April 2009);

5. CoE Tutor in online courses Human Rights Education for Legal Professionals (the HELP Programme) “ Anti discrimination course” (2012- 2013);

6. Lecturer on “Human Rights and International public law master courses”, Law Faculty “ Luarasi University”, Private Education Institution, Albania (2010- 2014);

7. Lecturer on “International public Law master courses”, ISSAT, Private Education Institution (2009);

8. Lecturer on Convention issues in Council of Europe activities held in Albania, Azerbaijan Georgia, Kosovo, FYROM etc (December 2007- present);

9. Lecturer as CoE expert at a Seminar “On Articles 5 and 6 of the Convention”, Organized by: Kosovo Judicial Institute and the Council of Europe; Topics: 1. Introduction to the

right to liberty and security as protected in the ECHR and other international instruments; 2. Deprivation of liberty as part of the criminal process; 3. Introduction to the right to a fair trial as protected in the ECHR and other international instruments; 4. The right to a fair trial under Article 6; 5. Right to a fair trial under Article 6 in the determination of a criminal charge. (5-8 July 2006)

10. Lecturer as CoE expert for the Joint Programme IV between the European Commission and the Council of Europe on the Albanian Law Faculties Project. Study Visit of Albanian Magistrate School Students, Strasbourg, France Organized by : the Council of Europe and the European Union Topics : Présentation générale sur la Cour Européenne des Droits de l’Homme et la Convention Européenne des Droits de l’Homme (1 June 2005)

11. Lecturer as CoE expert for the Joint Programme IV between the European Commission and the Council of Europe on the Albanian Law Faculties Project. Organized by : the Council of Europe and the European Union ; Topics :Présentation générale sur la Cour Européenne des Droits de l’Homme et la Convention Européenne des Droits de l’Homme (23 March 2005)

12. Lecturer as CoE expert in the courses “On immigration laws” Rome, Italy Organized by: « Stranieri in Italia » Association; Topics: The interim measures under Rule 39 of the Court of Human Rights Rules relating to expulsion issues. (12 November 2004)

13. Lecturer as CoE expert in the Conference “Religious and civilisations in the new millennium - the Albanian case” Organised by: The Office of the President of the Republic of Albania and the UNESCO Representative. Topics: Relations between: Religion and democracy; Religion and politics; Religion and nations in societies in transition (14-15 November 2004)

14. Lecturer as CoE expert in the in the first part of the Seminar “The Pre-trial phase in the Kosovo Provisional Code of Criminal Procedural of and its compatibility with the Convention”, Organised by: The Kosovo Judicial Institute and the Council of Europe, Topics: 1. The Kosovo Provisional Code of Criminal Procedure and its compatibility with the Convention: the investigation of offences; 2. The Kosovo Provisional Code of Criminal Procedure and its compatibility with the Convention: provisional arrest and police custody, examination of the defendant and the right to defence counsel; 3. Presentation of a practical case-study on the pre-trial phase (10-11 February 2004)

15. Lecturer as CoE expert in the second part of the Seminar “The Pre-trial phase in the Kosovo Provisional Code of Criminal Procedure and its compatibility with the Convention”, Organised by: Kosovo Judicial Institute and the Council of Europe, Topics: Overview of the relevant case-law of the European Court of Human Rights (9-10 March 2004)

 

PUBLICATIONS

1. Bulletin of ECHR case-law, publication of “Council of Europe” and "Albanian Center for Human Rights" Tirana Albania (2009-2012)

2. Core curriculum on admissibility under the European Convention on human rights, pending publication of CoE (2012)

3. Commentary of the ECHR case-law in respect of Albania, pending publication of “Open Society for Albania” Soros foundation (2012)

4. 2002–2016: Presentations and lectures on the case-law of the ECHR at conferences, workshops and training sessions (in Albanian, English, French and Italian)

5. “Some aspects of freedom of thought, conscience and religion as guaranteed under the Convention of Human Rights" published in "14-15 November 2003 International Conference: Religions and Civilisations in the New Millennium-the Albanian Case" organized under the auspices of the President of the Republic of Albania and the General Director of UNESCO. Edited by "Albanian Centre for Human Rights" (February 2004)

 

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