Crises, interests and elite behaviour: military reform in Albania

Abstract

This article provides the first comprehensive analysis of military reform in Albania from the fall of communism until its NATO accession in 2009. It argues that to account for Albania’s military reform trajectory, it is crucial to retrace the interest formation process of its post-authoritarian elites. By examining parliamentary debates and newspaper coverage, the article demonstrates that elite interests in military reform were shaped by their framing of Albania’s authoritarian past and transition crises. Specifically, the framing of the military during communism as politicized in conjunction with the interpretation of the 1997 crisis and 1999 Kosovo war as military failures caused by politicization enabled elites to view military reform as crucial to democracy and pave the way for its consolidation. Besides explaining Albania’s military reform, this article establishes a new research venue bridging security, democratization and transition studies.