Albanian Government Research Articles

Fight against Organized Crime as One of the Fundamental Conditions for the Integration in the European Union. Albanian Case

The Integration of Albania in the European Union Structures remains one of the most important challenges of the Albanian government, since the post-communist period. To become a member of these structures with full rights, the Albanian government must fulfil some conditions and criteria. The main purpose of this paper relates to the analysis of the war against organized crime, as one of the fundamental conditions for the European Integration. The war against organized crime has been chosen as the most important focus because the defined criteria in this matter, regardless the efforts to improve the situation, have not yet given the desired results. Furthermore, it is important to emphasize the fact that lately the representatives of European Union increasingly are underlying in their statements that Albanian governments must document reliable data, regarding the war against organized crime, and they must document sustainability in this direction and give concrete results, because still in the security sector the proper objectives have not been reached. The real issue is not related with the missing of a national strategy in the war against the organized crime, but with the effective implementation and application of this strategy.

Fight against Organized Crime as One of the Fundamental Conditions for the Integration in the European Union. Albanian Case

The Integration of Albania in the European Union Structures remains one of the most important challenges of the Albanian government, since the post-communist period. To become a member of these structures with full rights, the Albanian government must fulfil some conditions and criteria. The main purpose of this paper relates to the analysis of the war against organized crime, as one of the fundamental conditions for the European Integration. The war against organized crime has been chosen as the most important focus because the defined criteria in this matter, regardless the efforts to improve the situation, have not yet given the desired results. Furthermore, it is important to emphasize the fact that lately the representatives of European Union increasingly are underlying in their statements that Albanian governments must document reliable data, regarding the war against organized crime, and they must document sustainability in this direction and give concrete results, because still in the security sector the proper objectives have not been reached. The real issue is not related with the missing of a national strategy in the war against the organized crime, but with the effective implementation and application of this strategy.

The Monetary Policy of Central Bank of Albania: Undertaken Contrasting Measures Against Global Crisis

Important data regarding the growth rate and the macroeconomic balance preservation show that Albania has experienced an important challenge the last 5 years. The effects of the global crisis are indirectly spread into the Albanian economy, considering the fact that the most important commercial partners to Albania are Italy and Greece, two countries of Eurozone in serious financial and internal debt crisis. The spread of the financial crisis from USA to Europe has made it difficult to find credit in the market, which leads to incremental liquidity and credit risk, associated to interest rate increases, increased difficulties encountered by the private investors, lower consume and a high grade of economic uncertainty. Also, the prices of some important primary products such as petroleum are still located in high levels. What mentioned above, in Albania was translated into lower remittances (as almost 1/3 of the Albanian population emigrates in Italy and Greece). On the other part, the partner’s private sector difficulties to produce incomes have played an important negative role on the Albanian exports amount, causing a commercial deficit. Consume and private investments are also decreased. In order to contrast the crisis effect the Albanian government has grown its debt. This work will treat about the measures taken by the Albanian Central Bank, in order to avoid the foreign imported financial difficulties and risk and in order to stimulate growth, private investments and consume. The traditional and not traditional monetary policy tools and instruments will be analyzed, with special acuity towards all the macroeconomic indicators and the related effects. This paper aims to verify the effectiveness of the monetary policy in Albania through an accurate analysis, supported by empirical data in a range of five years. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2015.v4n2s2p218

From the Perspectives of “WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement”: Trade Opportunities of Albania

This paper explaining the importance of the WTO Agreement on Trade Facilitation and the reasons why it was suggested has as a purpose helping business communities in developing countries, and especially those having activity or trade relationship with Albanian businesses, understand the rights and liabilities that countries have or will accept in the future; gives an explanation of the main provisions of the agreement; clarifies how to ease controls in the borders of Albania for business, and how business can affect the way that Albanian governments in collaboration with governments of border countries implement the obligations and specific conditions they have undertaken in fulfilling the Agreement. As a methodology we are going to give the evaluation of the Agreement based on the contents of its articles and how they can be applied in the best form from customs authorities in collaboration with business communities. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2015.v5n2p193

The Result and the Impact of Project IPARD for the Rural and Agricultural Development

In implementing the pilot Project, IPARD 2012-2014 for Albania for the agri-food sector, within the IPA 2011 – SARD project, by the Operating Structure in charge (Managing Authority & Rural Agricultural Development Agency) are followed the activities organized for the implementation of the Grant scheme IPARD-like, which is co-funded by the EU (75%) and the Albanian Government (25%) and is implemented by GIZ. The overall objective of this project is the orientation of the Albanian farms in accordance with the European Union standards. Within the first IPA program 2007-2013, during this period, Albania would benefit from the European Union funds. Since Albania has not gained the status of the candidate country, the European Union has given a second chance to Albania, by offering IPARD- Like project, a project which will help the Albanian farmers to absorb the grant funding by the European Union. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n2s1p602

Trafficking in Human Beings in Albania

This research was conducted to show that trafficking is a major problem of our society after the 90s, when Albania came from the isolation of the communist regime and entered the transition stage. Human trafficking included not only exploitation for prostitution, but also illegal transportation of immigrants, the use of children and many other trafficking types. The trafficking took place individually in the beginning, then in a more organized form. The women and children were more affected by trafficking. Even the persons belonging to the poorest social strata were also affected by trafficking. Children belonging to the Roma and Egyptian communities were and are more exposed to the various exploitations and trafficking. Albania is seen as a destination of exploitation for prostitution of women coming from other countries in Eastern Europe. According to data, 8000 Albanian women are exploited for prostitution purposes in different European countries. The performed studies show that the number of trafficked persons increased during 1997-2001 and after 2002 the Albanian government took austerity measures to curb this bad phenomenon of our society. These kinds of trafficking seriously violate fundamental human rights protected by the European Convention of Human Rights. This study showed that trafficking as a phenomenon can be prevented if the Albanian government takes precautions against this trafficking as coercive measures and creates favorable conditions for the education of children and awareness of Albanian society to fight against these phenomena that violate the fundamental rights of Human beings such as the right of every man not to be enslaved by others, but to live his life with dignity and to put themselves on his life. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v4n1p57

Sustainable Regional Development in Albania and the Challenges to European Integration

Minimizing or eliminating regional disparities is one of the priorities and challenges of the governments nowadays. Regional disparities are characteristic of large countries, but mostly of developing countries. Studies have shown that these disparities are two to six times more than in developed countries. Using different approaches to eliminate disparities, governments attempt to help economic activities of certain regions in order to be more competitive. In this paper, firstly I will conduct a theoretical and empirical assessment of the regional development approach as per se. The purpose of analyzing the theoretical approach is to introduce the differences between the early approaches of developing the infrastructure and attracting inward investments in the different regions of the country with the latest one of effectively using the public recourses and significantly better policy outcomes. This approach includes some measures to increase the competitiveness among the regions of the country. Secondly, in the paper I will observe the approach followed by European Union and especially focus on the Albanian government approach to address the inequality of regions in Albania. The purpose of this analysis is to understand if regional development policies, legal and institutional framework put in place by the government, are consistent with those of the community in which Albania wants to join in, the European Union. The analyzes will show that there are some adjustments that Albania has to do in its regional development policy and legal and institutional framework in order to benefit from the financial instruments that European Union gives to candidate countries, in the process of the European integration. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v4n1s1p27

Higher education in Albania: developing third mission activities

The national strategy for higher education of the Albanian government (2008–2013) stated the urgent need for universities to increase their role in the social and economic development of the local and regional environment. In order to achieve this goal, the main action proposed by the strategy was the setting up of regional development centres by public higher education institutions. With this purpose, the Tempus project Developing Third Mission activities in Albanian Universities (U3M-AL) has promoted third mission activities in most of the public universities by training university staff, establishing the regional development centres and creating an Albanian network for promoting third mission. These initiatives are contributing to the external visibility of universities as valuable partners for cooperation. In this paper, we describe the activities developed by this project, the outcomes and the expected impact on Albanian society.

The Development of Arbitration in Albanian Legislation, Actual Challenges

During the transition, the Albanian government has faced a number of challenges. These challenges will not only be in the economic sphere, but also in political and legislative aspect as well. As a communist system before the 90s, the Albanian legal regime put a big gap on the provision of rights and obligations for its citizens. With the establishment of free trade, the priority was given to the free entrepreneurship, which operated independently and empowered by the state. The development of new contractual relations resulted in the emergence of a variety of disputes. Albanian businesses already had been given the opportunity, not only to be supported by the usual trials, but also to address their needs to arbitration. This paper aims to determine the evolution and integration of arbitration in the current legislation. Finally, a discussion will identify the current development as well as future challenges. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n1p347

Analysis of Factors that Influence Non-Performing Loans with Econometric Model: Albanian Case

International financial crisis of the last decade had a negative influence in almost all banking system of the world. The difficulties on managing problems brought into consideration that the balance of risk exposure versus return is very difficult to be controlled. Managers of the businesses are working hard to meet liquidity needs and to continue their business which is greatly supported by financial intermediaries. On the other side, banks and their regulators are following risk problems with increased management measures, as stability of financial system was undermined seriously from financial crisis and structural problems in all countries. There are several risks that all kind of businesses are exposed, but in this paper we are focused to credit risk in the banking system, which is counted as 60-70% of total risk exposure. Recently the Albanian economy is having low growth with the banking system suffering from the increase of non- performing loans (NPL). This reflects liquidity and performance problems for businesses with increased risk on financial stability. This paper deals with proof of macroeconomic factors that influence NPL rate for Albania. Verification of these factors can support the proper policies that reduce the NPL level. The analysis includes the comparison of Albanian and Italian data on the trends and factors that affect NPL rate. Albanian Central Bank and government are trying to apply prudent regulations based on analysis of factors driving bad performance. The analysis and findings of this paper is based on existing literature that is applied with a regression model. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n1p391

Developments in Financing and Reforming the Health Care System in Albania, the Road Ahead

The Albanian Health sector is in the continuing transformation in the function of the realization of the proper standards. To realize the reform in this sector and to help the decision makers in their decision is necessary to have the right information on the source of the financing of health sector, on the destination of the expenditure in this sector and their control. “The establishment of the National Health Service is an integral part of the new Albanian Government program and it is also the fairest intervention intended to upgrade the system of service financing at the levels required by providers and recipients of health services. In this paper research we are try to present the current situation concerning our insurance scheme, developments in financing the primary health care and hospital sectors, our future projects to improve the way of financing hospital services, etc. were displayed in this presentation. We are in focus of Albanian reforms, improvement of the services and we are studying the health costs for health services.Our learning and evaluation team reviewed every incoming evaluation to ensure that it met the quality standards in our policy. When evaluations failed to meet the standard, the three most common concerns, wich are analyze in this paper: (1) evaluation teams received too many questions—especially questions that are too general and ill-defined—relative to the resources available for the evaluation, (2) the data collection and analysis methods were not appropriate to answer the evaluation questions, or (3) evaluation reports.

European Integration: One Electoral Promise Not Taken

The process of European Union membership is a national objective, in view of the democratization and transformation of the Albanian society, in accordance with the values and principles of the United Europe. This sentence is taken from the Official Site of the Prime Minister of Albania. This message but expressed in other words seems to be there standing since 1992, when in Albania for the first time was articulated the desire for national integration of the country. After more than twenty years, the question that concerns me mostly is that why my country is not part of the big European family? What happened in these twenty-two years to prevent this process or to accelerate it? The first thing that comes to my mind after the last rejection candidate status on December, last year, is that this is a promise that none of the Albanian government has not yet managed to achieve. On my opinion, this process is strictly associated with the willing of all determinant political actors to collaborate and to manifest democratic political culture through dialogue. European integration is a slogan used in every political campaign, as a key element of the political agenda all political parties but in. It helps a lot during the electoral campaign but unfortunately we are still waiting for. Thus, I think that the integration process is not related only to the Albanian desire for participating in the EU, but mostly to the political class attitude. It is true that every time that the government does not achieve the candidate status, the political parties to blame each other for retarding the integration process. Even though, different scholars emphasize the role of EU in the process of integration, I believe that the country's democratization is a process strongly related to the political elite performance and the way they manifest politics. Albanian political class must admit that the real problem in this process is the way that it makes politics and how it makes political decision. In this article, I argue that the European integration is a process which can be successful only if all political parties in Albania understand that this is an obligation that they have with Albanian citizens and that cannot be realized if all of them are not committed to. This ambitious goal can be achieved only when the EU priority reforms are going to be established and in Albania there are going to operate functional and free institutions based on meritocracy and democratic system of operation far away from politics.

Aspects of Word Formation in Official Bulletin of Albanian Government in 1925

This study aims to analyze the language of Official Bulletin of 1925 of the Albanian government, to reflect the important features of word-structure of the Albanian language in that period, with a view to point out the ways and means of word-formation which were active in this field and their specifications. The study of grammatical structure of the formative in the context of specific parts of the speech is necessary, not only to know, to understand better the structure of the Albanian language and to clarify a number of theoretical problems according to different ways of word-formation , the difference between prefixes borders, compound and the composition, but also to reflect the language development and to its word-formation system in a certain period of time, such as that of 1925, at which time the Albanian language was still unconsolidated. For this study has been considered a relatively large literature that includes the whole range of our authors, Dictionary of Contemporary Albanian language (1980), Spelling Dictionary (1976) Terminological glossary, Dictionary of Albanian Language (1954). It is also consulting and exploiting “The formation of affix names in Albanian Prof. Enver Hysa, K. Cipo’s Albanian grammar etc. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n27p1791

Security Issues and their Implication on Albania’s Road to European Integration

Among considerable international organizations providing security in Europe, such as NATO, EU, UN, WEU, OSCE, etc., this paper covers evolution of security issues in Albania on the context of NATO and EU dynamics with regard to their crucial roles in providing security, peace and stability. Why are NATO and EU so important to Albania? Albania was the first former communist country which immediately following its first multiparty elections in 1992, requested NATO membership as the most important and biggest military operation in Europe since the Second World War providing security, which took 17 years to finalize. On the other hand, Albania’s EU integration as an important political, economic, social and legal process is far more complex and more difficult. Moreover, all successive Albanian governments have always given priority in their foreign policy to NATO membership and EU Integration. For this reason, study of Albania’s path to NATO membership and its long road to EU integration, deserves special attention to get insight on the way they have evolved in Albania. Also, of specific importance is the correlation between NATO and EU developments on security-related issues as well as their impact on Albanian international and integrational processes. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n23p362

Albanian Local Government Finance on the Eve of Territorial Consolidation

This paper reviews local government finances in Albania on the eve of the government’s plan to decrease the number of municipalities from 373 to 61. The paper argues that without changes in the current intergovernmental finance system, territorial consolidation is unlikely to be accompanied by improved service delivery. This is because Albanian local governments are underfunded and receive less revenue than their counterparts in the region measured both as a percentage of total public revenues and of GDP. The current intergovernmental finance regime is also “over-equalizing” and is depriving the country’s larger jurisdictions -- particularly Tirana -- of the resources they need to build network infrastructure. These problems cannot be resolved by the efficiency gains that should come from consolidation. Nor is better property tax collection fix likely to transform the situation. Instead, the national government needs to provide municipalities with new grants and transfers. One possibility here is to introduce income tax sharing, a reform that would also make it possible to anchor the equalization system in an objective measure of relative wealth. Eventually, income tax shares could be transformed into local surcharges.

Cultural ecosystem services and economic development: World Heritage and early efforts at tourism in Albania

Albania actively promotes its World Heritage sites and other attributes of its cultural heritage, including local food and beverages, dance, tapestries and even its communist era, in its marketing efforts. Better information about the emergent tourism sector, particularly with regard to Albania׳s abundant potential in nurturing and capturing the value of its cultural ecosystem services, could help the country to better manage toward its economic development objectives. In this paper, results of a survey of international visitors to Mother Theresa International Airport, highlighting their expenditure patterns, activities, their assessment of their visit with a particular focus on natural and cultural tourism are reported. For example, the average additional willingness to pay to travel to Albania under current experiential conditions is €410. On average, respondents were willing to pay an additional €95 to the Albanian government to invest in Albanian natural and cultural ecosystem services. This potentially translates into an estimated €95 million per year to invest in Albania׳s cultural and natural heritage, or €42 million for culture and €53 million for nature. The results point to the very young stage of tourism development and may illuminate strategies to introduce international audiences to Albania through conferences or other business oriented travel.

THE CRUCIAL ISSUES ABOUT THE LEGALIZATION LEGISLATION ON ILLEGAL CONSTRUCTIONS IN ALBANIA. WHAT CAN WE LEARN FROM THE BALCANIC EXPERIENCE?

In the process of transition of the Balkan countries towards democracy, the strengthening of the rule of is a key factor. The process of legalization in Albania is a clear indication that this transition has not been developed as it should have. In post-communist Albania, ranging from the 1990s to the present day the problem of illegal buildings remains a disturbing fact to which, no final solution has been found, yet. The solution that the Albanian government has given to the problem is the implementation of the system of Ownership Reform substantial part of which is the legalization of these buildings through a law of 'legalization', which makes legal, situations that were illegal up to that moment.This paper will aim to provide a solution to the question The problems that have arisen during the legalization process in Albania. What can be done in the future by observing and taking into consideration the experience of countries with similar experiences?”.Thus we will deal especially with the evaluation fact of defining how much coherent and pragmatic the policy of legalization has been and how much acceptable it is valued by all stakeholders involved in this process (unlicensed builders, former owners, state, third parties, and international actors. Which are the main obstacles that have slowed down the process of legalization up to now and how to remove or overcomere them.In conclusion it will be emphasized the positive elements by European practices especially from Balkan countries, to be taken into account. By observing in comparative ways, there will be noticed that the legalization process is not only an Albanian phenomenon but has occured in all post-communist countries due to the unconsolidated market of real property trade after 1990 and because of the fact that many properties continued to remain without an owner', for a long time due to the excessive length of the process of restitution of property to former owners. In conclusion, it can be said that in the future , only a well developed - 20-year vision territory planning policy , would contribute to the elimination of the phenomenon of informal constructions, which are a blocked asset not only to their builders but to the albanian society as well. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n22p395

ALTERNATIVE SERVICES - NEW SERVICE FOR EVERY CHILD

Every child, for a full and harmonious development of his/her personality, has the right to grow up in a family environment, in an atmosphere of happiness, love and understanding. This principle is one of the main pillars of foster care service. InAlbania,familyfoster careservice is one of the new forms of social services as an indicator of taken responsibilities by the wellfare state to protect children including children with disabilities, who are deprived of parental care. Foster Care, or as it is called in Albanian Family Code "foster family", is a form of alternative care for children who are not provided with family care by their families.Throughout human history, there are constantly encountered phenomenas of neglect, abuse, intentional murder, sale and abandoning children mainly from ptheir parents.Foster care service was firstly a spontaneous response and then anoficial one, to support children who were vulnerable and deprived of family care. The models of providing foster care services are different from temporary service, the emergency ones, or long-term, and specialized ones. Currently, the Court is the only institution that takes decisions for child guardianship, for his accomodation in asocial care institution or in an alternative family. Basic international obligations in the field of protection of children deprived of parental care are setby the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC). Albania became party in the CRC on March 28 1992 and in its Optional Protocols "On the involvement of children in armed conflicts" and "On sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography"2 in 2007, these acts being in accordance with the constitutional provisions are now part of the Albanian legal system. In Albania foster care is a special service offered as protection measure for juvenile in the conditions when their parents are unable to exercise their parental responsibility. The reason for this can be the situations when both parents have died or are not known, are declared missing, lack the legal capacity to act, poverty and for any other reason accepted by the court. The goal is that the child be offered a family environment and conditions for the upbringing, such as physical care and emotional support. Such an alternative service was adopted in Albania as a new form of service to improve and increase the efficiency of the delivery of social services in addition to services in social care institutions which provide basic services for each juvenile. By reforming the Social Protection program the Albanian government had two priorities: Prevention of institutionalization of children and the provision of services in a family environment.This service is being extended throughout Albania creating the appropriate environment to treat the children in new forms of care as closed as possible to the family. The state is leading this service supporting it as an alternative to institutionalization to guaranty child upbringing. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n19p286

The Size of Underground Economy in Albania

The main purpose of this paper is to assess the size of the underground sector of the economy in Albania by using the Indirect Approach - Currency Demand Approach. A few studies have tried estimate the size of the informal economy in Albania in the previous years and there’s no evidence of recent estimates of informality. Also, there are some other available studies which give some point assessments of informality in Albania but without information on its development over time. Using indirect measurement approaches we found that the size of the underground economy still accounts for a large share to GDP, but there is a decrease in size on the last years. This may be the result of vast reforms and a formalization process undertaken by the Albanian governments over time. Despite these results, it’s important to highlight the fact that the average ratio of the underground economy to GDP presents a declining trend over the period 1998 – 2013. DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2014.v3n4p503

Self – Isolation of Albania and the First Steps Toward Opening to the West

The years 80s are important for Albanian diplomacy, because the historical documents of the period observed variation between pre-self-isolation and steps back towards establishing relations with the West. Was the Albanian foreign policy in the '80, a fulfilled diplomacy, after 1985, Enver Hoxha testament whereby it was cornered the general foreign politics? These principles were a mixture of the universal principles of the UN Charter, the principles and the special interests that had Tirana regime in the late twentieth century. The principles established by Enver Hoxha were in the political, economic, cultural and security1. At he political level, the Albanian government will refrain: the principles of respect for independence, national sovereignty and territorial integrity, non-interference in internal affairs, cooperation on the basis of mutual interest and weakness.2 In the normal development there was free economic support and international trade while respecting equality, mutual benefits and convenience.3 Albanian state, under the constitution of 1976 on the principles refused aid, loans and credits from abroad. Although in principle the policy of economic cooperation with the outside of Albania was normal, in practice it did not bring any result.4 During this period they tried strongly from the ruling party, cultural exchanges. With most of the countries cultural activities were most frequent. After the death of communist leader E.Hoxha, Alia took his place. Analysis and his vision on international affairs failed in the ninth Congress of the PLA held in November 1986 it did not represent new elements, in order to disclose the place of self-isolation. This platform presented basic principles of the Albanian state positions, for the last period of communism.5 In this Congress, it was stated that: He knew both friends and enemies of his country. He had attacked U.S. policy new global meetings between the two superpowers and making oath that there could be no reconciliation socialist Albania and two superpowers.6 Alia echoed Greek-Serbian thesis, which contained the view that : the Balkan should be for the people of the Balkans. In this context, the policy with neighbors took considerate place during his rule. Communist leader stressed that: the development of good neighborly relations would be a foreign policy priority of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania.7 Albanian government began to take part in round tables, held between representatives of the governments of the Balkan countries. Thus, in February 1988, the Albanian delegation took part for the first time at the meeting of Ministers of Foreign Affairs in Belgrade Balkan states. Political commentators praised this fact as evidence of substantial changes in the foreign policy of Albania. Reis Malile former minister of foreign affairs, who headed the delegation was defended with the assertion: It is not we who change, it is the others who change.8 Albania was determined as: a place that would cut future meetings of this level in January of 1989. Albanian government it self praised this as a very positive event. Albanian Radio and Television Newspapers and made too echo this issue.9 This was a big step forward for Albania, since it was the first time in the history of the communist regime, which expected a meeting of such a level. With the establishment of these contacts in the diplomatic field, Albania can not be called isolated. However, this association was curtailed and realized within strictly defined limits. Albanian society was still closed. The instinct of self-defense of new phenomena, coming from the Soviet Union and the socialist countries of East Central Europe watched.10