Case Of Albania Research Articles

Critics of Democracy: The Impact of Communist Legacy on Support for Democracy and Voting Behavior in Albania

ABSTRACT We use the case of Albania to explore the effects of communist legacies on support for democracy and voting behavior. Using survey data, we show that those who are more critical of democracy tend to be of the older generation and reside in rural areas. These critics of democracy are also more likely to vote for Albania’s communist successor party. We argue that these trends are a result of communist legacy and continually undermine the new regime’s capacities to develop effective representation. In conclusion, we also show how communist legacy more generally undermines the development of robust political competition.

Urban Population Growth and Job Opportunities: The Case of Albania

AbstractDemographic change is a complex phenomenon, but it has generally been accepted that having better employment opportunities and quality of jobs are among important factors that determine people’s mobility. The purpose of this paper is to test the relationship between the increase in the number of people living in urban areas and the job opportunities in these areas in Albania. In order to do so, we performed a statistical analysis of a dataset on labor force surveys for the time period of 2007-2013. Our findings confirmed a positive correlation between the increase of individuals living in a certain area and job opportunities for specialized occupations in that area; however, a significant relationship was not found when job opportunities in general, in general, were considered.

The EU Rule of Law Initiative Towards the Western Balkans

The EU adopted a new enlargement strategy for the Western Balkans countries in 2018, provided a time frame for Serbia and Montenegro potentially to join the Union by 2025, and outlined the next steps for accession for Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and North Macedonia. In March 2020, the EU gave the green light to the opening of accession talks with North Macedonia and Albania, and also introduced a new reformed ‘accession talks’ framework. The strengthening of the rule of law, fighting corruption and organised crime are the cornerstones of the EU-Western Balkans strategy of 2018 and the new accession talks framework of 2020. This article examines the latest enlargement policy developments in 2018–2020 by conceptualising how the EU promotes the rule of law in the Western Balkans thorough its new enlargement policy package. Furthermore, the article offers an in-depth analysis of the case of Albania, where the EU has experimented with some of its latest enlargement-policy ideas in regard to the rule of law. The article also offers some proposals and insights on how the EU rule of law initiative of 2018 can be improved, in order to become more transformative in strengthening the rule of law in countries of the Western Balkans.

Researching new methodologies for art education: the case of Albania

The epoch of globalization asks for a review in teaching methods of the combined university level art subjects, not only in terms of the aspect of scientific achievements but also regarding intangible heritage. In country like Albania that is still undergoing the consequences of a half century long experiment on the homogenization of art, culture and intangible heritage. In the global era of the 21st century, the west European teaching methods of disciplines that study the cultural expressions of “Eurocentric” concept should face the development of the cultural cosmos and mentality of other non-European people. Confrontations of homogenous methodologies have produced unpredictable consequences according to the reciprocal incomprehension and rejection of different cultures. Two of these cases are the first human artistic expression (the geometric patterns of petroglyph of the raddle ochre stone in the Blombos Cave), and the string game, the oldest games in the history of mankind. The geometric patterns of the petroglyph of Blombos and patterns of the string games are similar in many cultures and populations in different times and contexts. Those patterns and the rules of games are the same but the way they are used and played with changes. In order to try and face these problems, the teaching methods of artistic expressions in the Albanian Intangible Heritage with Albanian students, are in the process of identification of common elements that connect the natural cultural Albanian cosmos with that of other people.

Economic Indicators of Labor Market and Governmental Policies to be Taken for Their Improvement: The Case of Albania

In this study, we are focused on the analysis of labor market based on economic indicators such as employment, unemployment, and participation in the labor force by trimester data of year 2018 and 2019. Such data have been provided by INSTAT (Institute of Statistics, Albania) publications related to employment rate, unemployment of the population and participation in labor forces in accordance with age group and gender, and after their being elaborated and analyzed, the relevant conclusions have been drawn. In our work, we have used the descriptive method, based in comparative analysis expressed in percentage in relation to economic indicators that we have used in our study. The descriptive analysis is also focused on the interpretation of charts and graphics relying on comparative analysis of age group and gender by trimester and annual change. This study’s purpose mainly aims to show the trimester and annual change for economic indicators that we have taken into study such as employment and unemployment rate and participation in labor forces. The difference between these trimester and annual indicators has been taken in analysis by analyzing the average degree of the respective changes. This study also aims to determine which are some measurements and governmental policies that must be undertaken to improve such economic indicators.

Counting fuel properties as input in the wildfire spreading capacities of vegetated surfaces: case of Albania

Extreme weather conditions characterized by increased peak temperatures and stretched draught seasons are expected to boost up wildfire vulnerability in Mediterranean countries such as Albania. Thus, estimations about wildfire spread capacities of the territory are crucial. In this paper we introduce four new parameters into the indexing method for classifying the forested lands by their wildfire spreading capacity (WSCI). Land cover type via Corine Land Cover (CLC), Plant heat zones, Tree cover density (TCD), and Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) are integrated along with the previous set of criteria. The analytical steps of the process are performed in QGIS software including the Semi-Automatic Classification Plugin (SCP) which is useful in calculating NDVI values. The diversity among the inventory values of the selected criteria urges for a normalizing procedure within QGIS. Besides, each criterion is foreseen to have a specific impact on the WSCI value, which is weighted via Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The sum of the products of the normalized class and the weighted impact factor of each criterion generates the WSCI value. The validation relies on the comparison between the index values of points being located within the burned areas and the values of the remaining locations. The results have shown that the former set of points have higher WSCI mean value then the latter group of points. Lastly, the parametric vulnerability assessment method presented here enables useful materials in support of wildfire risk reduction within the national priorities of disaster risk management and fire safety agendas in Albania.

Workplace Violence and Harassment against Women in Transition Countries: The Case of Albania

This study identified the extent of violence in the workplace against women in Albania. For this purpose, data were considered from the survey completed by 513 women in work relationship, between the ages of 24 and 60. About 92 percent of the respondents claimed to have been violated at least once in the workplace. Violence against women in the workplace involves, not only psychological, but also physical and sexual violence. This violence is largely exercised by persons within the environments where women work. The study also reveals why they do not seek help and why they do not publicly denounce these cases of violence. The main problem relates to state institutions that are supposed to bring relief to these cases. Some women declare that they do not trust these institutions in solving problems at the workplace.

Addressing Terrorism in The XXI Century Case of Albania

Terrorism is a worldwide phenomeon. The strategy against it has become increasingly intense in the last two decades. This article is focused on a systematic legal analysis of terrorism as a global phenomenon, its definition under international law and the Albanian Criminal Code, including forms of terrorism, analysis of funding sources, the interrelations of terrorism with drug trafficking and money laundering, and the role played by media in helping or combating terrorism. The conceptual legal analysis on terrorism law and practices at international level and Albanian case study are used as research methods. Juridical definitions on terrorism are not unique, because states do not use the same methods to deal with the threat of terrorist attacks. In addition, international laws and treaties are valid only for participating states, meanwhile other states avoid cooperation on security issues. Terrorism, as an international criminal offense, is unlikely to be totally stopped in the near future, because multilateral responses are hampered by complexity of national laws and are not binding for all, because of unavailability of some governments to relinquish a level of power to an international body. New national and global strategies are needed to fight terrorism in light of information technologies. Being a global partner in fighting terrorism, Albania has improved the legal framework on terrorism acts in line with EU guidelines which contributes in eliminating the consequences of organized crime and drug trafficking, as the means which fuel criminal and terrorism acts.

The Effect of Banking Concentration on Non-Performing Loans: The Case of Albania

Purpose: The article examines the correlation among banking concentration and non – performing loans using datasets of the Albanian banking sector during 2005-2017. We investigated the non–performing loans affected by market structural variables, banking variables and macroeconomic variables. Approach/Methodology/Design: We test the loan concentration impact on non – performing loans through linear regression models. Findings: The Albanian banking sector proved the ambiguous results and the sound correlation in long run among concentration and non–performing loans. Outcome confirmed the negative effect of return on assets and the average interest rate for non-performing loans. Meanwhile the total loans, exchange rates and Gross Domestic Product is affected positively by the non-performing loans. Practical Implications: The Albanian banking sector operated to moderate concentration despite banks’ mergers recently. It has linked with the increasing non–performing loans ratio past to the last quarter of 2008. We demonstrated the empirical impacts that they ought to be taken into consideration by the banking sector. Originality/Value: The research provides empirical results encouraging further investigations on the subject matter.

The Unethical Banking Costs Distrust of Bank Customers (Albania Case As a Model for SEE Countries)

The Unethical Banking Costs Distrust of Bank Customers (Albania Case As a Model for SEE Countries)

Interest Rate Pass-Through in Three EU Candidate Countries: The Case of Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia

The objective of the paper is to assess the interest rate pass-through in three EU candidate countries that is Albania, North Macedonia and Serbia. We rely on an error-correction model using monthly data over the period 2005-2019. Results suggest a complete interest rate pass-through in Albania, albeit it has been weakened during the economic and financial crisis. The relatively fast speed of adjustment indicates an effective interest rate transmission channel. In the Macedonian case, the changes of the monetary policy rate are transmitted completely to the bank lending rate, but not to the bank borrowing rate. The transmission via the money market rate has improved after the global economic and financial turmoil. In the case of Serbia, the results also suggest complete interest rate pass-through indicating that the monetary policy rate changes are transmitted into retail rates offered by the banks to savers and borrowers in the long run. Nevertheless, the speed of adjustment is relatively slow. In general, the estimated speed and extent of the response of money market interest rate and bank retail interest rates to changes in the monetary policy rate gives an indication of effective interest rate transmission channel in the case of Albania and Serbia. On the other hand, it is moderately effective in the case of North Macedonia given that the central bank rate changes affect mainly bank lending rate but not borrowing rate.

Effects of innovativeness and innovation behavior on tourism SMEs performance: The case of Albania

Effects of innovativeness and innovation behavior on tourism SMEs performance: The case of Albania

Reconstructing the past in a state-mandated historical memory institute: the case of Albania

ABSTRACTLegitimisation strategies of post-Communist regimes are interlinked with practices of addressing their non-democratic past. Specific state-mandated institutes emerged in post-Communist countries to create an institutionalised historical memory of the Communist dictatorship. The institutional model of a historical memory institute is characterised by organisational hierarchies, layered institutional practices, and bureaucratic features. This model was implemented in most countries, including Albania. However, the Institute for the Study of the Crimes and Consequences of Communism (‘The Institute’) in Albania exhibits a different practice of historical reconstruction. The main questions asked by this article are: What has conditioned the distinct approach the Albanian Institute had adopted in its reconstruction of the past? And how can the institutionalisation of a particular social memory in a state-mandated institution be explained? The research is based on ethnographic fieldwork at the Institute. To understand the specific practice of historical reconstruction, the data collected includes semi-structured interviews with leading heads of the Institute, and collected testimonies. Discourse analysis is used to interpret the data.

Gendered experiences of international student migration: the case of Albania

Gendered experiences of international student migration: the case of Albania

Fiscal policy impact on tobacco consumption, in high smoking prevalence transition economies / the case of Albania

Fiscal policy impact on tobacco consumption, in high smoking prevalence transition economies / the case of Albania

Identification of Quality of VAT Data: The Case of Albania

Abstract The increasing demand of users for quick and qualitative statistics, have increased the focus of statisticians from different countries to develop strategies, produce systems, compile statistical methods for the use of administrative sources as primary source. An important issue of official statistics is the reduction of the response burden from enterprises. Administrative sources are frequent in time, have wide scope coverage, are fast in terms of deadlines, but in content they carry suspicious values. In the case of Quarterly Survey these suspicious values affect the quarterly growth rate analysis. In Short Term Statistics cases where the value between the quarters is not accurate give a wrong picture of the development. In the Structural Survey, an annual net sale gives a wrong picture of the structure of the economy. Sources used for this paper are Value Added Tax and Quarterly Survey of Enterprises. The paper tries to identify the different patterns of the VAT in Albania by analysing two years VAT data, 2016-2017 and propose the editing method for correcting them. As the focus is the use of VAT in Short Term Statistics, the patterns are identified in the panel data created by linking with the same ID code the businesses on both sources. Various methods have been used from other countries’ statistics for the editing of these suspicions values. The experience of these countries is studied in orded to be used in Albania as well. This process will reduce the time for processing VAT file, will be used in effective way for quarterly business survey or structure business survey purposes and will increase the quality of statistical procces and product by using effectively the VAT file.

Motivation of Knowledge Workers – the Case of Albania

Abstract Background and Purpose: Very little is known about motivation of knowledge workers in the Western Balkans. There is a widespread belief that money and career opportunities are the most critical motivational factors, but from a pre-study more intrinsic motivational factors also appeared to be important. To develop a better understanding of work motivation, a study was conducted among knowledge workers in Albania, with a special interest in the themes of extrinsic / extrinsic motivation and organizational commitment. Methodology: After a pre-study and a review of theory, two motivation theories (self-determination theory and organizational commitment) and corresponding instruments (Work Extrinsic and Intrinsic Motivation Scale, respectively Organizational Commitment Questionnaire) were selected. A survey based on purposive homogeneous sampling was applied, resulting in 252 valid questionnaires. The internal consistency of the survey data was tested and resulted in acceptable to good levels. Results: The findings show that, when knowledge workers are asked about their motivation, they give answers showing that intrinsic motivational factors are more important than extrinsic motivational factors. The study shows that affective commitment - the core factor of organizational commitment - of the respondents is quite high. Correlation analysis of the data shows that across age, gender and number of years of employment, knowledge workers report intrinsic and introjected motivation and affective organizational commitment. Respondents’ work positions – professional or leadership – also do not significantly correlate with motivation and organizational commitment. Conclusion: Given the results on motivational factors and organizational commitment, organizations need to pay attention to the relationship between enhanced motivation and enhanced productivity. Current transactional leadership styles do stimulate employees on the basis of their intrinsic motivation to enhance their productivity, and should be considered too.

The Importance of the Judiciary for the European Integration of EU Candidate Countries: The Case of Albania

All Western Balkan countries currently holding the EU Candidate Country status, namely, Albania, Montenegro, FYROM, Serbia, and hopefully in the near future Kosovo, are in a critical stage of the EU integration. From their institutions are required serious reforms, and some of these reforms are necessary for almost all the of above countries. The focus of this paper is Albania. After the approval of the EU Candidate Country status, each branch of the Albanian government is now facing new legal challenges. However, at this stage, particularly after the vetting process, the central role passes to the judiciary, which should and could turn into a real “engine” of the EU integration. The new role of the Albanian judiciary for the EU integration should primary be understood and recognized by judges themselves, as well as academics and the public. Judges in particular, should know what instruments are available there, in order to best perform their new task. This paper initially aims to clarify the new role of the Albanian judiciary, as the “engine” of the EU integration, in order to raise awareness not just to judges, but also to academics and the public. Then, it will present what practical instruments can and must be used by the Albanian judiciary in order to best achieve the required EU integration. Examples of such instruments are: the preliminary ruling; principle of supremacy; principle of direct effect; principle of indirect effect; and most importantly, EU remedies in national courts. The paper will analyze each of these instruments and will display precisely how Albanian courts can use them in favor of their citizens, and for achieving higher EU integration. In conclusion, the article suggests that although significant constitutional and legal reforms are needed, the existing constitutional and legal framework of Albania allows the judiciary to perform its new role as the “engine” of the EU integration.

A Study on the Efficiency of Hybrid Models in Forecasting Precipitations and Water Inflow Albania Case Study

A Study on the Efficiency of Hybrid Models in Forecasting Precipitations and Water Inflow Albania Case Study

Improving the Academic and Investment Research Through Innovation Development Based on the Adriatic-Ionian Macro-region: The Case of Albania and Italy

Improving the Academic and Investment Research Through Innovation Development Based on the Adriatic-Ionian Macro-region: The Case of Albania and Italy