Guide on Citizen Initiatives in Local Governance

The guide has been developed to assist citizens and civil society organizations and strengthen their capacities, enabling them to undertake initiatives to improve their communities as indispensable actors in safeguarding their rights. It aims to explain the types of initiatives that exist at the local level, how such initiatives can be implemented, and the steps citizens can take to successfully implement citizen initiatives in their cities.

Local elections in Albania

The Socialist Party wins most municipalities in Albania's local elections. The opposition accuses the party of electoral fraud.

On 14 May, new mayors and municipal councils were elected throughout Albania. The majority of mayoral posts were won by the Socialist Party of Prime Minister Edi Rama. The coalition "Bashkë Fitojmë" of Sali Berisha and Ilir Meta could only win a few smaller municipalities, the Democrats under Enkelejd Alibeaj none.

Albania: Political and Social Impact One Year After the Start of the War in Ukraine

Reliable Partner of the West and Concerns in the Population

One year after the beginning of the Russian war of aggression, Albania is showing itself to be a reliable partner of Ukraine and the Western community of security and values. The government, opposition and civil society have unanimously condemned the Russian invasion.

Blue Connectivity: Maritime and Inland Waterways in the Balkans Peninsula

Following the study “Next Stop Europe: Railways in the Western Balkans”, the “Blue Connectivity: Waterborne Transport in the Balkans Peninsula” examines another critical and overlooked avenue of communication in the Western Balkans: its inland and maritime waterways. Western Balkan Waterway connectivity rests on two pillars: the Danube with its network of tributary rivers, and the Adriatic Sea. Unlike railroads, waterways are natural phenomena and cannot be as easily compartmentalized into manmade categories.

Der Russische Angriffskrieg gegen die Ukraine – Reaktionen auf dem Westbalkan

Der russische Angriff auf die Ukraine am 24. Februar 2022 hat in Europa, dem breiteren Westen aber auch weltweit für starke Reaktionen gesorgt – gerade letzteres zeigte sich in einer Resolution der Vollversammlung der Vereinten Nationen vom 2. März, als diese das russische Vorgehen mit einer überwältigenden Mehrheit von 141 gegen 5 bei 35 Enthaltungen verurteilte. Alle Länder des Westbalkan stimmten in New York für die Resolution – jedoch unterhält die Region komplizierte historische, politische, wirtschaftliche und gesellschaftliche Beziehun-gen zu Russland, aber auch zur Ukraine. Wie also haben die Menschen und politischen Institutionen der Region das Handeln Russlands aufgefasst? Welche Narrative herrschen vor? Und was ist für die Zukunft zu erwarten? Die Auslandsmitarbeiter der Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung in Belgrad, Sarajevo, Tirana, Skopje und Zagreb berichten.

Commentary on Albanian Private International Law Act

On July 2019, Konrad Adenauer Foundation in Tirana published the Commentary on Albanian Private International Law Act. That emerged from a long-standing and fruitful cooperation between scholars of Max Planck Institute for Comparative and International Private Law, Hamburg and the Faculty of Law, University of Tirana

Media shqiptare, rrugëtimi i vështirë drejt lirisë

Sikur Mit’hat Frashëri të mos kishte lajmëruar në faqet e fundit të revistës “Diturija”shënimin “Dëshërojmë të blemë çdo librë të vjetrë që i përket Shqipërisë”, ndoshta shumë patriotë dhe dijetarë shqiptarë nuk do të kishin mundur të ndihmonin për të krijuar një prej bibliotekave më të mëdha në Shqipëri. Kjo bibliotekë arriti të mbushë raftet e saj me më shumë se 40000 vëllime të botimeve për Shqipërinë dhe, pas sekuestrimit në vitin 1945, u bë pjesë e Bibliotekës Kombëtare.

Local Government 2020

This report analyzes the dynamics of development of the local government in the during 2020, but not detached by the events of 2019 and the recommendations for 2021.

Albania Has Voted

Prime Minister Edi Rama was confirmed in office – the Democratic Party is returning to parliament – the big loser in this election is the Socialist Movement for Integration.

Last Sunday, just under 3.6 million Albanians were called upon to elect a new parliament, with Prime Minister Edi Rama having been re-elected once again. Contender Lulzim Basha did not succeed in preventing Rama’s third term of office. Having said that, his Democratic Party are returning to parliament following a two-year boycott and have achieved the best result since 2009. Heavy losses were suffered by the Socialist Movement for Integration led by Monika Kryemadhi, however. Whereas election day in itself ran smoothly, the country experienced a somewhat violent end to the election campaign. Moreover, there were severe accusations of election fraud and irregularities before and after the election.

Analysis of the political parties platforms

Strategies for healthcare development

COVID-19 pandemic turned out to be more of a government challenge than the healthcare. With the approach of general elections on April 25th, 2021 in Albania, the Konrad Adenauer Foundation with "Together for Life" (TFL) have produced a report which analyzes the platforms of six political parties, focusing in particular on the healthcare sector. The monitored parties are the three main parties in the country: the Socialist Party, the Democratic Party, the Socialist Movement for Integration and the three parties running for the first time but coming with a political potential: the Hashtag Initiative, the Democratic Conviction and the Movement for Change.