Policy Papers

Perceptions and Realities Series
AIIS, Tirana, 2002 - 2014

The European Perspective of Albania: Perceptions and Realities is a long-term project that started in 2002. Since then, AIIS has assessed annually the Albanians’ perceptions and level of knowledge on European Union and European integration process. The research results have given us over time the possibility to formulate recommendations, to enhance public awareness and to reduce the misperceptions and false expectations on the Albanian membership in the European Union. 

Albania Twenty Years After: People and Democracy
AIIS

The People on State and Democracy study is one of the components of the Twenty Years After: Rethinking Democracy and State in Albania, a project the Albanian Institute for International Studies, implemented in the period April 2010 - April 2011 in cooperation with the Albania Media Institute, the Friedrich Ebert Foundation and The Balkan Trust for Democracy.

Albania and NATO: Why do we need NATO?
AIIS

The study assesses the level of expertise of four elite groups (public administration, civil society, media and military forces, on the NATO integration process. Because these groups, be their very nature, play a primary role in shaping the attitudes and beliefs of the public as a whole, the study aims to gain a sense of what the public as a whole thinks of these issues. 

Blood Feud as a Security Threat: Rethinking the Institutional Approach
AIIS

The report analyzes in detail the blood feud practice in Shkodra district, and seeks to represent the response of state institutions to the blood feud, focusing on the activities and performances of the law enforcement agencies: police, public prosecutor and the courts. 

Strengthening Internal Party Democracy in Albania
AIIS

The paper gives an account of political history and heritage in Albania and continues with the legislative framework and an overview of the research concept of IPD. The analysis focuses on the main IPD dimensions as expressed in the parties’ statutes on one hand, and as implemented in reality, on the other, based on historical evidence, theoretical frameworks and the perceptions of party members and independent experts. 

Albanian Brain Drain: Turning the Tide
AIIS

The research report addresses the brain drain phenomenon in Albania. The research report concludes that the brain drain phenomenon is delaying the Albanian transition to democracy and market economy. The report concludes with a number of recommendations on how to encourage the return of the Albanians educated abroad and assist their professional integration in Albanian society. 

Early Warning Report: Human Security in Albania
AIIS

The Albania Early Warning Report develops an analytical tool to evaluate human security in the Albanian context. Human security is a very broad concept that encompasses economic, social, and political security and determines human development. The report focuses on the poverty and unemployment, rule of law and corruption, crime and personal security, natural disasters, and pollution, and their impact on human security and development. The paper studies also, the energy crisis in 2004, and its repercussions on the economic development and the daily life of citizens.

“Gjakmarrja”: Albanian Highlander’s “Blood Feud” as a Social Obligation
Diana Gellçi

“Blood feuds” or “vendettas” are a mode of self-governance, generally attributed to the weakness of the state to enforce law and provide security. In the case of the Albanian Highlands, however, the blood feud developed into a complex social structure enforced by unwritten rules known as the Kanun. The working paper is a detailed analysis of “gjakmarrja” and sheds light on the esoteric character that the practice. 

Increasing Transparency at the Local Level
AIIS

The report focuses on measuring the perceptions of the Albanians on their local authorities, their legitimacy, efficacy, and corruption. It reveals that the legitimacy of the local authorities was higher than that of the central institutions, including members of the parliament. However, their low efficacy and the high level of corruption challenged their legitimacy. The report concluded that transparency was a major factor that could fight corruption and improve the legitimacy of the local authorities

Enhancing Transparency of Political Parties and Election Campaign Finance in Albania
AIIS

The financial transparency of political parties in their day-to-day operations and during their electoral campaigns is one of the elements of a healthy and sustainable democracy. The policy paper analyses the specific case of Albania and focuses on the contemporary developments in the area of party financing. The paper explores the legal deficiencies of the existing Albanian legislation, its implementation problems, and the dynamics of the interplay between politics and business.