4.1 Presence in Albania additional trainings in the regional directorates of Elbasan, Lezha, Durrës, Dibër, Vlora and Gjirokastra Specialized Investigations Units / Forensics The Presence contracted two experts from the United Kingdom to conduct a gap analysis in the Drug Laboratory of the Albanian State Police Forensic Institute between 11 and 15 February. The gap analysis was very detailed and included several meetings and interviews with the staff of the Chemistry Unit, the Quality Manager and the Director of the Forensic Institute. The two experts assessed the current capacities of the Drugs Laboratory to identify and implement the changes required to achieve the objective of the Albanian State Police Forensic Institute receiving accreditation according to international standard ISO 17025 before 2020. The assessment examined all procedures related to drug examination, item packaging, item reception at the laboratory, examination, and interpreting and reporting of results. The assessment provided some very useful recommendations regarding measures that need to be taken and improvements that need to be made in order for the Drug Laboratory to achieve accreditation according to the international standard ISO 17025. One of the serious risks highlighted in the report was related to the health and safety of the experts working in the Drug Laboratory. On 23 June, the Presence handed over certificates to eight members of the Department of Neutralization of Armed Elements’ (RENEA) Special Forces Unit who participated in two training courses. The first course was on setting up and managing covert observation posts in rural areas, while the second was on counter and anti-surveillance, with the aim of both courses being the development of their skills and capacities in these areas of policing. Both courses were organized in the framework of the Presence’s project to address transnational threats and organized crime, and were delivered by three contracted experts from Northern Ireland. The Presence provided forensic kits to the Albanian State Police Forensic Institute to conduct research on the allele frequencies of the Albanian population. The research was General Overview of the OSCE support for border police during 2016 Ř )ROORZLQJWKHGUDIWLQJQHJRWLDWLRQ the personnel of the Police with INTERPOL and Europol. and signing of the Cross-border Cooperation Centres in Morinë The workshops were organized Hot Pursuit Protocols between (Kukës), Qafë Thanë (Pogradec) in the regions of Gjirokastra, Albania and the neighbouring and Muriqan/Shkodra. The Shkodra and Korça. countries (the former Yugoslav workshops involved the Republic of Macedonia and personnel from these centers in border co-operation process Montenegro) as well as Kosovo, Albania and their counterparts through the organization and two simulating exercises (with (the former Yugoslav Republic of monitoring of strategic meetings the former Yugoslav Republic Macedonia, Montenegro, as well at the central and regional of Macedonia and Montenegro) as in Kosovo). level between Albania and the were conducted during 2016 migratory movement witnessed protocols in the field. in 2015 from the Middle East Ř $JUHHQERUGHUDVVHVVPHQW through the Balkan-Turkey route was conducted in two regions to Western Europe, a series of bordering with Greece (Korça trainings and workshops were and Gjirokastra) and a report launched for border officials of findings was produced and on pre-screening procedures, presented to the Albanian identifying foreign terrorist Border Police. fighters, criminal offences, and Ř -RLQWLQVHUYLFHWUDLQLQJ workshops organized for 44 Ř )ROORZLQJWKHQHZDFFHOHUDWHG to test the operability of these recent routes of the migratory crisis, in close co-operation Ř 3URYLGHGVXSSRUWIRUWKHFURVV neighbouring countries.