Albanian Government Research Articles

Managing Climate Change at the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Butrint, Albania

Abstract The UN’s panel on climate change identified the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Butrint, Albania, as vulnerable to sea-level changes in the coming decades. This article summarises the site’s history and environment before considering new institutional developments to manage Butrint as a major tourist destination. It also considers the challenges posed by the prospect of subsidence caused by tectonic events and climate change. The article considers appropriate mitigation strategies made possible by the Albanian government’s policy of instituting a new management authority at Butrint.

The Qualitative Impact of Foreign Direct Investment in the Albanian Clothing Industry

The objective of this article is to examine the long-term impact of foreign direct investment (FDI) on the garment industry in Albania. The main methods used were analysis, forecasting, and abstraction. The qualitative impact of FDI on the garment industry in Albania was examined. The benefits that Albania receives from actively attracting investments were described, and recommendations were given to improve the quality of clothing production in the country by foreign companies. This article presents an analysis of the evolution of foreign clothing companies in Albania, based on a series of data sources that provide qualitative and quantitative information on the country’s clothing industry. A vision of the qualitative impact of foreign direct investment and industrial advances is presented. The study showed that the Albanian government is actively attracting foreign direct investment to develop the clothing industry, recognizing its potential as a catalyst for economic growth. The country’s trade policy has been aligned with World Trade Organization standards and there are incentives within the sector to develop such enterprises.

The Albanian Righteous: a case of missing information

ABSTRACT The first Albanian Righteous Among the Nations was recognized only in 1987, 24 years after the programmme's birth - one of the longest periods before the first recognition by Yad Vashem's database. Rescue took many forms and rescuers came from different social classes, professions and religions. The vast majority of the rescued were refugees arriving in 1940-43, when the country was under fascist occupation. The information about Albanian rescuers during the Holocaust is still incomplete, mostly due to the country's decades-long extreme isolation after World War II. Albania experienced the most severe dictatorship and repression in Europe. After the official recognition of the state of Israel in 1949, the Albanian government froze bilateral relations until the 1990s. During the communist period, several scholars from “enemy countries” requested information regarding the Jewish community and other important issues, but the authorities did never respond. In addition, the exchange of information between the rescuers and the rescued was impossible. Albania was the only Eastern Bloc state that did never establish diplomatic ties with Israel and other so-called revisionist countries.

Albania�s path to Sustainable Development: A study on the identification and eliminating of �Harmful Practices�

Relevance. This study focuses on the identification and elimination of �harmful practices� in Albania, with a specific focus on early and forced marriages and gender-based violence.Purpose. The research aims to understand how Albania, as a post-socialistic state with its own social, cultural, political, and challenges faced by Albania in achieving the objectives of sustainable development, both before and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The causes and consequences of these challenges are examined, as well as the strategies employed economic features, has integrated into the global trend of gender equality and women�s empowerment.Methodology. The study utilizes methods such as analysis, synthesis, induction, and analogy to explore the by the Albanian government to combat �harmful practices�.Results. The study finds that these practices have negative implications for the country, including poverty, limited access to education, and emigration of women. However, it also highlights the positive results of Albania�s efforts to eliminate these practices, particularly in terms of gender equality and the empowerment of girls and women.Conclusions. The findings of this study can serve as a valuable example for other countries and contribute to the global discourse on gender equality and women�s rights. Additionally, the results can be used to compare contemporary periods with earlier times, highlighting the progress made in supporting girls and women�s freedom from inequality, discrimination, and violence.

Cyber Attack Against E-Albania and Its Social, Economic and Strategic Effects

Purpose: During last years, even because of pandemic situation caused by covid-19 virus, in Albania most of governmental public services for citizens, businesses and other customers were offered in an electronic way by creating a national database (e-Albania), offering more than 2200 services. As this electronic system was newly implemented, time after time it was attacked from hackers in different sectors of services, causing the interruption of service for hours, downloading all the confidential information and publishing them. After several partial attacks, in July 2022 came the general attack of the whole system, which black out the system and services for several days. Cyber actors - identifying as “HomeLand Justice” - launched a destructive cyber-attack against e-Albania which rendered websites and services unavailable. An investigation indicates cyber actors acquired initial access to the victim’s network approximately 14 months before launching the destructive cyber-attack, which included a ransomware-style file encryptor and disk wiping malware. The actors maintained continuous network access for approximately a year, periodically accessing and exfiltrating e-mail content. From late July to mid-August 2022, social media accounts associated with HomeLand Justice demonstrated a repeated pattern of advertising Albanian Government information for release, posting a poll asking respondents to select the government information to be released by HomeLand Justice, and then releasing that information - either in a .zip file or a video of a screen recording with the documents shown. This cyber-attack creates social problems, economical loss and influenced negatively in the reputation of e-Albania and damage as well strategically the country and development of this sector in the future. Methodology: We have monitored the system and the attack, and we continue to do this. We analyze and synthesis the data collected, to come to conclusions and recommendations needed for the future. All the data which we have used are open for public, and mostly are primary data. The research method combines both quantitative and qualitative methods, but it is closer with qualitative method, as far as there in not enough data for using e pure quantitative analysis. We have used mostly the descriptive method. Results/Findings: Improving essentially the cyber infrastructure to avoid in the future such attacks with high social, economic and strategical cost. Conclusions: In the institution there was not a team for Cyber Security Monitoring the system, so called SOC (Security Operation Center), who controls in the real time all the logins. It was missing as well so called “Identifying Behavior”. There was not e separation of active directory, in physic machines and virtual machines, they were altogether. As the administrator had Full Right Privilege, the hacker doesn’t need to create a Privilege Escalation Vertical, so he easily took all the right of Admin. Originality and Practical Implications: The paper is original; it has not been previously published and it is not under consideration by any other publisher. The originality of the method stands in the fact that it is the first case in the world in information age, that a country (a whole electronic system, e-Albania), face a such complex, well organized and hard cyber-attack, which collapse the system for several days. All the data are authentic ones.

Vanjska politika Kraljevine Srba, Hrvata i Slovenaca prema albanskoj vladi premijera Nolija

The paper analyses the interest and factors that influenced the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes’ attitude toward the Albanian government under Fan Noli. Initially the SCS Government opposed international recog-nition and endorsement, later actively supporting the overthrow of Noli’s government. Diplomatic and military means were used to reach those objectives. A new regime led by Ahmet Zogu came back to power in Albania.Consequently, a new era in bilateral relations was opened in the Balkans.The newly installed regime led by Ahmet Zogu resulted in a calmer nationalist movement of Albanians in the Kingdom of SCS, but at the sametime, Albania became the centre of rivalry between Italy and the Kingdomof SCS in the Balkans, with both powers competing for control over Albania. This article was composed using a comparative and chronologicalapproach based on archival sources and relevant literature. While previousstudies explored this subject using Yugoslav and Albanian sources, this paper uses foreign literature, aiming thus to unveil new insights and neutral perspectives, shedding light on both specific facts and broader international relations.

Territorial Impact of the Agriculture Vocational Education in Albania

The agricultural vocational education secondary school (AVESS) system in Albania, is organized through 8 institutions located in various regions, that tend to respond to entire the national demand, giving equal opportunities to all interested students, regardless of their place of residence. In these regards, the Albanian government has implemented several measures to attract students to integrate AVESS and facilitate their integration in the labor market. Despite the various measures, including financial support or adapted facilities for students coming from families with low income or from remote areas. The territorial impact of AVES remains limited and shows a relatively low coverage. This phenomenon is not exclusive to agricultural professional schools that do not have dormitories, but even to vocational schools that have dormitories and adequate facilities. Aiming towards a sustainable agricultural sector development and an efficient sectoral labor market, that tends to guarantee equal opportunities for the new generations, the objectives of the study are AVESS Gap identification, factors that impact AVESS attendance, assessment of the impact of governmental measures, and proposing recommendations for a sustainable AVESS system. To understand what are the main factors that influence the territorial impact of AVESS, a consolidated assessment has been performed during 2020-2021, passing through desk research, screening, focus groups, working groups, experts and agricultural representative interviews, and visit to relevant agricultural businesses, workshops, and dedicated surveys targeting teachers, students, and local businesses. Out of the assessment results, family income is the main factor influencing AVESS attendance. Regardless if schools have dormitory facilities or not, as the distance between students’ homes and the vocational school’s location increases, family income also tends to increase, but at a decreasing rate. Students coming from families with modest incomes show a lower mobility and beyond a certain distance they are less likely to register in AVESS located far from their residence. By testing three main hypotheses, it has been noticed that home-school distance negatively affects the attendance of students coming from families with lower incomes. In other words, family income plays a significant role in determining school attendance, particularly when considering the distance between students' homes and AVESS. Considering this finding and the low AVESS territorial impact, imply that the governmental financial incentives have a low impact and do not offer equal opportunities to all students, especially the ones residing far away from AVESS and coming from families with low incomes. In this context, new policies could be taken into account, such as enlarging the number of AVESS or evaluating the possibility to open agricultural vocational education secondary classes in general high schools located in rural areas.

Democratic Evolution in Albania in the Aftermath of Candidate Country Status

The integration process in the European Union, being the major national goal, is the political action that leads the agenda of every Albanian government since 1992 up today. Being aware on the importance of integration process as the most efficient way towards the path of fast democratization, governments have undertaken concrete steps in the opening of accession negotiations. The integration process is in a very significant momentum which dictates dialogue and partnership. Every country that has set as a goal the EU integration, should respect the integration criteria’s or as known the ‘Copenhagen criteria’s’, on the basis under which the European Commission deliver the opinion in regard of every application. These criteria’s are defined during the European Council of Copenhagen in 1993 and accomplished during the European Council in Madrid in 1995. These are political criteria’s such as : stability of institutions which guarantee democracy, rule of law, human rights and respect and protection of minorities; economic criteria’s such as the existence of an efficient economy, capacity to challenge competition pressure and internal market forces of the EU; the opportunity to take responsibilities which derive by law and policies of the EU ( acquis communitaire). Stability, peace and the integration of the Western Balkan countries en block, play a fundamental role for the present and the future of Europe. Over the years, it has become more evident the necessity to strengthen the EU policies against countries of this region. Considering the geographic position of Albania in the Mediterranean and its importance in oftentimes weak spots within the region, it deserves a special attention by the European institutions. Since the candidate country’s status up to now, Albania has reached a moderate progress in terms of democracy shifting from a hybrid regime to a flawed democracy. Flawed democracy countries reflect a bold weakness in democratic terms, among others an underdeveloped political culture, low participation in political life and issues concerning governance. Civil rights are still problematic especially when it comes at media censorship or in attacks against country opposition.
 
 Received: 05 May 2022 / Accepted: 16 May 2023 / Published: 20 May 2023

The Nature of the Legal Acts Produced by the Government Essentially Alienated the Nature, Spirit and Constitution of the Albanian State 1944 – 1948

The first acts of the Albanian government produced during the years 1944 and 1948 passed into the ownership of the state the assets of the occupying states and those of their collaborators as well as those individuals who in some cases were not confirmed by some special legal provisions in force. These acts hit the foundations of the economic, legal and political order of free capital, which, in the ideological notion of "speculator", enabled the absolute limitation of the free private economy and alienated property as the foundation of human freedom. While through the extraordinary tax, radical control over society, industry and foreign trade was established, accompanied by the cancellation of the conventions of the National Bank and the creation of the State Bank. The legal acts issued during March 1946 February 1947, nationalized the means of production of industrial enterprises that were in the hands of Albanian owners or capitalists was done in a short time through the only method without remuneration. The characteristic of the implementation of legal acts was radical, expressing class interests, ideologizing the state of the dictatorship of the majority against the ideologically conceived minority as "declassed" or "kulak".
 
 Received: 05 May 2022 / Accepted: 16 May 2023 / Published: 20 May 2023

Financial Development and Its Impact on the Shadow Economy in Albania

This study investigates financial development's effect on Albania's shadow economy from 1995 to 2015. We use data on the shadow economy from Medina and Schneider (2018) and other economic variables to examine the relationship between the shadow economy and economic growth. We use ADF, PP, and KPSS tests to determine the stationarity of the data series and Toda Yamamoto Granger Causality and VAR(p+dmax) estimation to identify the direction of the causal relationship between financial development and other economic variables and the shadow economy in Albania. Our results indicate a unidirectional causal relationship between financial development and the shadow economy, as well as between trade openness and the shadow economy. These findings suggest that efforts to improve and deepen financial development and trade openness could help formalize Albania's economy. Based on these results, we recommend that the Albanian government focus on financial inclusion reforms and facilitating exports and imports to combat the shadow economy and bring these activities into the formal sector.
 
 Received: 21 February 2023 / Accepted: 20 April 2023 / Published: 5 May 2023

Hysen Deralla, this distinguished anticommunist

he first days of November 1912, were the days when Albanian patriots of Kosovo and Macedonia were convinced that the Ottoman and the Serbian-Slav invaders needed to be forsaken forever by bringing together the rifles and forces to reach the historic assembly of Vlora. In this assembly, among other things, as a representative of the Albanian Macedonia, was elected unanimously, Mehmet Pashë Deralla, the great patriot from Gradeci of Tetovo, who abandoned honors and posts in Istanbul to serve to his homeland, precisely in these culminating moments, while the prominent tetovarian man was on his way to Vlora he was given the news that his wife Nadiri gave birth to his third child. Several weeks would pass; Mehmet Pasha Deralla would be elected Minister of War, in the first Albanian government, to undertake the first fighting against Serb-Slavs, Bulgarians and Greeks, when he would embrace his son, Hussein.

Overview on health status of the Albanian population

The Albanian population is rapidly aging (in 2020, almost 15% of the population was ≥65 years) as a result of a steady increase in life expectancy (74.4 years in men and 78.7 years in women in in 2021), a gradual decrease in fertility rate (1.6 children per woman of childbearing age in 2020), and emigration of particularly young adults. This demographic transition experienced in the past three decades has inevitably led to a significant change in the epidemiological profile of the Albanian population, characterized by a remarkable shift towards non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly cardiovascular diseases (CVD), cancer, chronic respiratory diseases, and diabetes. The main risk factors in the Albanian population consist of high blood pressure (top risk factor, accounting for about 34% of the overall mortality), nutritional-related risks (second, constituting about 25% of the overall mortality), and smoking (third risk factor, accounting for about 20% of the overall mortality). The national “Health Strategy, Albania 2021-2030” is a political document of the Albanian government that aims to define and achieve the objectives of the program for the protection and improvement of the health of the Albanian population. Following the national “Health Strategy, Albania 2021-2030”, two new action plans were recently developed: the “Action Plan on NCDs, Albania 2021-2030” and the “Action Plan on Health Promotion, Albania 2022-2030”.

Shadow economy and its impact on economic growth

This research aims to investigate the correlation between economic growth and the shadow economy in Albania between 1996 and 2019 and their connection to government tax revenue. Accurately measuring the informal economy can aid governments in developing more effective policies that are better targeted. To accurately measure the shadow economy, the autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) bound test was conducted after verifying the data series’ stationarity. The findings of the Granger causality test revealed a one-way relationship where the shadow economy impacted economic growth in Albania. However, there was no significant correlation between the two variables. However, there was a crucial and adverse association in the long run between the shadow economy and tax revenue (% GDP). The augmented Dickey-Fuller test (ADF) test produced a significant outcome, demonstrating that the shadow economy has a detrimental influence on tax revenue. In conclusion, the study emphasizes the Albanian government’s need to combat the informal sector by enhancing tax collection.

The new tax and investigation (criminal) amnesty in Albania – Some legal and economic considerations in comparison with the Italian case

The Albanian Government intends to undertake a comprehensive tax and criminal amnesty, which is totally different from the two previous ones, which were not only partial and not truly tax amnesties but lacked the criminal component. This paper tries to shed light on key economic, financial and legal inconsistencies and pitfalls such draft law contains in the proposed form. Notwithstanding its good intentions, going down to practical and legal grounds, the amnesty that is being proposed constitutes in itself a very complex and difficult decision, for the very twilight landscape it depicts. Also, as the legal analysis shows, the proposed fiscal and criminal amnesty creates open conflicts with other organic laws (Criminal Code and Civil Code) and the respective legal framework that regulates the aspects of prevention and money laundering and the financing of terrorism. Furthermore, using a comparative analysis with the Italian fiscal and penal amnesty, it results that in case of the Albanian draft law on the (fiscal & criminal) amnesty, the inconsistency between the entities to which the voluntary declaration can be applied, the general exemption from criminal liability in case of declaration of assets, regardless of the source of their creation, leaves clear space for abuse and leaves a path for this procedure to return to fertile territory for money laundering. We conclude that, despite the fact that undertaking of a fiscal and criminal amnesty should not be considered a taboo in itself, a successful fiscal and criminal amnesty should be based on an in-depth analysis of the market’s needs, it must avoid conflicts with the existing legal framework in Albania, and respect the constitutional principles and the concepts of guaranteeing the rule of law and the fight for the prevention of crime and forms of laundering the products of criminal activity.

THE ALBANIAN GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS TO SECURE A FINANCIAL ADVISOR TO ALBANIA FROM THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS (1921–1922)

This paper presents the economic and financial situation in Albania during 1921– 1922, the difficulties faced by the Albanian government overcoming issues related to this and the efforts made to fulfill the Albanian government’s request to the League of Nations for an appointment of an outside financial advisor. It will also present the circumstances around the possibility being raised once again for the League to appoint a British financial. It addresses the motivations behind the Albanian government turning to the League of Nations for support, and the reasons why it could not seek help in this matter from Italy or the Kingdom of the Serbs, Croats and Slovens (SCS). This paper also reflects on the potential candidates discussed at the League of Nations and considers the discussions that took place regarding the procedures, competencies and criteria for selecting candidates for this task. The position held by the British and Italian governments regarding Albania’s request for assistance and the arguments on which their political lines were based. The paper considers in detail the position held by the British Foreign Office regarding the candidates submitted for this position in Albania.

The Impact of the Pandemic on the Quality of Education in our Country

The outbreak of the pandemic, in the framework of isolation measures, and in the context of preserving health and life, had its negative impact on the field of education in our country. The pace of pandemic spread led the experts to decide on making education at all levels shift to the application of online methods. The application of teaching in the online format according to the studies of analysts and professionals of the field, has left the system 10 years behind, and there are many reasons why. Faced with such a situation, the Albanian government, like all governments of other countries, took measures, relying on the practices and recommendations of the Department of Education in the EC in order to support the right for education during the pandemic. In this context, in Albania the project "Strengthening Education for Democratic Citizenship in Albania", implemented by the Council of Europe and funded by the Swedish Government, has supported the Ministry of Education, Sports and Youth in preparing the "Handbook for Teachers - Competencies of Teaching in the Field of Democratic Culture Online ". The Council of Europe joined the efforts of the Albanian authorities by preparing the Albanian version of the Teacher Handbook "Teaching competencies for democratic culture" and the "Handbook for Education for Democratic Citizenship", as part of a project funded by the Swedish International Cooperation and Development Agency ( Sida) "Strengthening Education for Democratic Citizenship in Albania".
 
 Received: 19 September 2022 / Accepted: 16 November 2022 / Published: 20 December 2022

Mediatization of European Union Integration Process

The process of European integration for the Albanian government is characterized by several stages whose cycle has not yet been completed. The first phase, which began in 1992, focused on economic and trade cooperation with the European Economic Community, to be followed 14 years later by the Stabilization and Association Agreement, the signing of which paved the way for the European Union integration process. The third stage is characterized by some important achievements, where at the end of 2010 the visa regime for Albanians in the Schengen Area was abolished, while in 2014 Albania received the status of EU candidate country. However, the final goal has not yet been achieved. The common denominator of all stages remains "professional and depoliticized administration, strengthening the rule of law, the fight against corruption, the fight against organized crime, the protection of human rights" . The effects of this process have been comprehensive regarding reforms, strategies, government plans and international cooperation. Naturally, this process, which is so important for Albania and Albanians, could not stay out of the media spotlight. Due to the extraordinary impact on the Albanian society, this process has opened a wide discourse in the public opinion and has had the predisposition to be placed as the priority agenda of the day. Political discourse has also influenced the prioritization of this issue in different spheres and levels of society. As society and the public do not have a direct connection to the process, much of the news, events and information about integration is conveyed through the media. The media in this case is not only the mediator for conveying information about the European integration process, but also enjoys the potential to influence public opinion through mediatization. Krotz (2007) depicts mediatization as a “metaprocess that affects democracy, society, culture, politics”. While Lundby (2009) adds that "it does not simply refer to an ongoing process that evolves throughout history, but to developments that are highly contemporary" . From this point of view, the media discusses historical contexts, reports the developments, integrates them into the daily events based on the respective features of the type of communication.
 
 Received: 10 September 2022 / Accepted: 21 October 2022 / Published: 30 November 2022

Personal Income Tax Law Changes and the Impact on Family Budget in Albania

Personal income tax is a tax on wages or salaries and other income a person earns during a calendar year. It is calculated on the income of all resident individuals and each government imposes personal income tax on earnings according to its fiscal package. The taxable incomes has been on focus of the latest fiscal package of Albanian Government approved by the end of December 2019 and starting from January 2020, changes effect a larger category of people. This paper is focused in analyzing the changes of personal income tax law and evaluating the impact on family budget. Considering the effects in the standard of living, this evaluation will show the need for other regulations. Interesting implications will be explored for policy makers and working persons in Albania.

Bunker Mentalities: The Shifting Imaginaries of Albania’s Fortified Landscape

Between 1967 and 1986, the Albanian government built an estimated 750,000 small and medium-sized military bunkers for defense purposes. These concrete constructions were spread across the country’s territory, with many concentrated along borders and beaches, in cities, and near key industries, strategic points, and transportation infrastructure. Long symbols of the communist regime, after it collapsed in 1991, the bunkers lost their purpose. As a result, both the narratives surrounding bunkers and their actual uses experienced significant transformations. Originally designed to control borders and instill fear in the population, bunkers have since been abandoned, destroyed, and graffitied, as might be expected. More notably, local entrepreneurs have transformed some bunkers into hotels or restaurants, while the state and non-profit organizations have turned others into commemorative sites that respectively glorify or expose the communist regime’s undertakings. Our ethnographic research into the discursive and material shifts to Albania’s fortified landscape, based on several field trips, interviews and investigations carried out between 2007 and 2017, identifies four contemporary “bunker mentalities” in Albania: indifference, derision, commodification, and commemoration.

Energy Storage Benefits Assessment Using Multiple-Choice Criteria: The Case of Drini River Cascade, Albania

Albania’s electricity sector lacks energy storage systems (ESS); hence, large quantities of electricity generated during the off-peak time, and excess electricity cannot be stored. On the other hand, the transmission capacity upgrades do not keep pace with the growth in peak electric demand; thus, congestion-related issues occur. Congestion of transmission lines has led to considerable uncertainties. Drin River cascade is located north of Albania. It possesses enormous potential energy that is not used due to a lack of ESS. Security of supply, rational use of renewable energy sources (RES), diversification of the electricity sector, increased competitiveness, sheltering more future RES capacities that can benefit from deferring investment in the existing transmission system, and environmental protection are some of these the main benefits of integrating ESS. Regarding the energy transition, the Albanian government’s endeavor aims to maintain and further develop a flexible, sustainable, secure, efficiently supplied, and affordable energy supply system. The results of the simulation executed by using ES-select software to produce multiple benefits from a single device from the chosen application’s list (App1–App6) showed that the most adequate ESS for storing excess electricity in the Drin River cascade are: compressed air energy storage (CAES-c), pumped hydro energy storage (PHES), and sodium-sulfur batteries (NaS). Integrating such systems in the central or bulk generation makes the circumvented cost in 10 years profitable; therefore, moving towards 2030, it would be extremely difficult to tackle the energy sector’s challenges alone, without integrating the ESS.