History

 The European Centre is a non-profit and independent organization, founded in January 1999 in Albania. Its mission is to contribute to the information and knowledge of the European realities and support the process of European integration.

 Aim

The main aim of the European Centre is the expansion of knowledge and understanding of the European realities, and support of the process of the European integration of Albania, by promoting and encouraging rule of law, democracy, human rights and in particular the knowledge on the European Union, OSCE, Council of Europe and other international organizations.

Specific purposes of the European Centre are:

• Establishing and facilitating contacts and cooperation among European and Albanian partners in different fields focusing especially on European affairs information network;

• Training and education on democracy, rule of law, good governance, human rights, European Union issues and in particular on European integration process;

• Organization of public polls,  surveys and campaigns on European affairs;

• Publications and awareness raising materials on European issues;

Expertise

As the main activity of the Centre is to deal with European issues, we are proud to have among us a group of Albanian youths and recent graduates from the most famous and high quality universities in Europe, which greatly cooperate with us. Despite that, a strong pillar of the Centre is the foreign expertise, that it is present in most of the projects and trainings.

 

The founders of the European Centre

 

Ardian Dhima- MA in European Studies, “Promo Ramon Lull”, College of Europe, Natolin, Poland. Bachelor of French Language and Literature at the University of “Stendhal”, Grenoble, France. Ex-Director of the Program of the Public Administration at the SOROS Foundation. Director of the Program Policies at the Institute of Public and Legal Studies. Director of the Administrative Board of the European Centre.

 

Ledi Bianku – Undergraduate Studies at the University of Tirana, Faculty of Law, L.L.M on European Law. “Promo Alexis de Tocqueville”, College of Europe, Bruges, Belgium. 19993-2007 Lecturer of the International Public Law and Human Rights Law at the Faculty of Tirana. 1997-2007 Lecturer of the Human Rights Law at the Magistrate’s School. Ex-Legal Counselor of the Delegation of the European Commission in Tirana (1995-1998), as well at the Presence of O.S.C.E in Albania (1998-1999). Founder and Executive Director of the European Centre from 1996-2006. Counselor of the President of Albania, the Minister of Justice and the Minister of European Integration (2006-2007). Director of the National Council of TV and Radio (2006-2007). Member of the Venice Commission in Albania (2006-2007). From February 2008, he Is the Albanian Judge at the European Court of Human Rights.

Neritan Sejamini– Bachelor in Physics at the University of Tirana. Studies on European Politics in Joint Vienna Institute. Director of the Relations with the EU at the Ministry of Finance and Economy, as well as Director of the Office of the EU assistance at the Council of Ministers in Albania (1991-1995). Founder and Executive Director of the Institute of Contemporary Studies. Director of the Centre of Albanian Initiatives and studies at the George Washington University, Washington D.C, U.S.A