On December 4, 2025, the European project “Enhancing protection of public spaces and critical infrastructure in the Western Balkans” financially supported by the European Union through the Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA III) held a regional seminar on public-private partnerships for the protection of public spaces and critical infrastructure. The seminar focused on legislation, best practices, and opportunities for public-private collaboration in these areas, with particular emphasis on the “security-by-design” approach.

Aiming to enhance national and regional capacities for safeguarding public spaces and critical infrastructure, while promoting cooperation between the public and private sectors, the event brought together representatives from all six Western Balkan countries. From Albania, participants included officials from the Ministry of Interior – including State Police, the Coordination Center for Countering Violent Extremism – and the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy.

The workshop marks the conclusion of the current phase of the project, as the European Commission has announced the launch of a new three-year phase (2026–2029), which will focus on consolidating results and establishing a regional forum dedicated to protecting public spaces and critical infrastructure against terrorist threats.