Tirana: The Albania anti-SLAPP law entered public consultation on 9 November 2026, giving journalists, lawyers and civil society until 7 December to comment on a draft that seeks to transpose Directive (EU) 2024/1069. The text targets abusive lawsuits that powerful claimants use to silence public watchdogs.

The draft protects journalists, civil society organisations, human rights defenders and others who take part in public debate against manifestly unfounded civil and commercial claims. Its core tools mirror the EU directive: early dismissal of baseless cases, security for costs, appeal rights and remedies for victims, including recovery of legal costs.

Within the Albania anti-SLAPP law, a proposed 60-day deadline for courts to rule on early dismissal has drawn particular attention. Speed matters because the main harm of a strategic lawsuit is the process itself, with legal bills and months of uncertainty that push small newsrooms toward self-censorship. Earlier revisions of the draft reportedly took on board recommendations from Council of Europe experts.

The Albania anti-SLAPP law also has clear limits. Criminal defamation and insult provisions remain in the criminal code, so journalists could still face prosecution for their reporting. Media freedom groups argue that civil safeguards alone cannot remove the chilling effect while criminal exposure persists.

The EU directive sets the benchmark for the Albania anti-SLAPP law. Adopted in April 2024, Directive (EU) 2024/1069 covers civil matters with cross-border implications, and member states had to transpose it by 7 May 2026. Candidate countries are expected to align with the acquis, and Albania’s drafters have chosen to follow the model closely. They also aim to align with Council of Europe Recommendation CM/Rec(2024)2, which covers domestic cases as well.

Judges will decide how well the Albania anti-SLAPP law works in practice. The SCiDEV centre and the Association of Prosecutors of Albania will convene judicial and media stakeholders on 3 December 2026 to discuss the move from procedural safeguards to court practice. Invitees include the National Association of Judges, the Union of Judges of Albania and the Forum of Women Judges of Albania. The Embassy of the Netherlands supports the work through its MATRA programme.

For Brussels, the reform touches the fundamentals cluster that frames every accession negotiation. Media freedom, judicial independence and the fight against corruption shape the Commission’s annual assessment of candidates, and Albania’s government has set ambitious targets for completing talks. Concrete legislation on SLAPPs gives Tirana a tangible result to show in 2026.

The next steps are procedural but important. After the consultation closes, the ministry must publish a revised text and send it to parliament, where opposition and media groups will test whether the law keeps its promises. A well-designed Albania anti-SLAPP law, applied consistently by courts, would strengthen the country’s case that its rule-of-law reforms reach everyday practice.