larserik (asker) Apr 22, 2011:

Lucky I delivered the translation with Klemi's suggestion, "penal", before Fabianas comment arrived. Still, I want to thank you all for your suggestions.

Klementina Shahini Apr 22, 2011:

The same thing here I doubled checked this morning, not with one, three of them, with some lawyers in Albania and they all are saying the same thing: Pn stands for "penal". It is the same thing in Albania, cases are defined as "penal" and "civil". "Protokoll" is not an option at all.

Sherefedin MUSTAFA Apr 22, 2011:

Not convincing at all The protocol "theory". Please consider that "Protocol" (Prot.) is used in Albania and not in Kosova or other Albanian speaking areas outside Albania. As far as I can see the source document is issued in Pejë (Republic of Kosova).
Nowadays court procedures/cases are indicated by: P [enale], C [ivile] etc.

larserik (asker) Apr 22, 2011:

Thanks for all your suggestions It's good to know what it *is*, but it would be still better to know where these characters came from, that's why I keep asking. I can see regional differences, and I think I can see that the amount of possible protocol number abbreviations is growing.

Fabiana Papastefani-Pezzoni Apr 22, 2011:

It is always about a register or protocol number When it is up to phrases like your Lars, it is always a register or protocol number. I agree with Ervis, that's what it is, protocol number. The problem in Albania is that there isn't a template or a form of document to be either unified or agreed upon. Each institution writes its headings as per the desire and expertise of the head of department in charge in that period. Therefor you will see Prot.____ nr, PN Nr., Reg. nr, R.nr, Rgj. n, and things like that, meaning all the same thing.

Sherefedin MUSTAFA Apr 21, 2011:

Other options Penal nr.
Procedure nr.
Proces nr.
I'm afraid and quite certain that it doesn't have much to do with any kind of protocol, in this case.