Country Overview
Country Facts
- Area: 11,100 sq mi (28,748 sq km), slightly smaller than Maryland
- Population: 3,563,112 (July 2005 est.)
- Population Growth Rate: 0.52% (2005 est.)
- Life Expectancy: Male 74.6 yrs., Female 80.2 yrs.
- Infant Mortality: 18.00 deaths/1,000 live births (World Bank)
- Gross Domestic Product (GDP): $ 6.2 billion (2004 est.; World Bank)
- GNI Per Capita Income: $ 2,080 (2004 est.; World Bank)
- Real GDP Growth: 5.6% (2004 est.)
Overview of U.S. Government Assistance
In FY 2005, the USG allocated an estimated $47.27 million in assistance to Albania, including:
- $8.30 million in democratic reform programs;
- $7.14 million in economic reform programs;
- $4.73 million in social reform programs;
- $21.08 million in security, regional stability, and law enforcement programs; and
- $6.03 million in cross-sector and other programs.
In FY 2005, a total of 187 Albanians traveled to the United States on USG-funded exchange programs.
FY 2005 Assistance Overview
U.S. STRATEGIC INTERESTS
Albania is of key regional importance to the United States. Its crucial, positive role in promoting peace and stability in the Balkans, juxtaposed with its crushing poverty and record of instability, requires continued close and carefully considered international support. U.S. support for Albania's integration into Euro-Atlantic institutions will continue to require a broad-based U.S. assistance program. The success or failure of Albania's consolidation of democratic institutions and norms will have an impact on the overall stabilization and integration of the Balkans, a key U.S. foreign policy goal. Albania is a close ally of the U.S. and extremely supportive of the Global War on Terror. The Government of Albania (GOA) has deployed combat troops to Afghanistan and Iraq, where it has recently increased its troop levels, and to the EU stabilization force in Bosnia-Herzegovina. Albania has also entered into an Article 98 agreement with the U.S.
KEY ISSUES
Democratic Reform: FY 2005 saw progress in Albania's democratization, especially in the areas of governance and the rule of law, due in part to the 2005 parliamentary elections. In FY 2005, the main priorities of USG democratic reform assistance in Albania centered around the election process, and included strengthening civil society, involving citizens in economic and political processes and decision making, increasing the flow of information and citizens' confidence in the government and media, and advocating for more transparency and accountability from the government.
USG programs also worked to overcome Albania's legacy of isolation and centralized government by increasing the independence of local administration from central government, and strengthening representative government institutions. Anti-corruption efforts provided mechanisms to investigate citizens' complaints and to empower coalitions of reform-minded individuals and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Anti-corruption efforts were reinforced by advocacy for key legal reforms and by funding for public media that encouraged citizen action against corruption.
Economic Reform: Continued macroeconomic stability and structural reforms, migrant remittances, and increased productivity in 2005 helped Albania achieve significant economic growth, a low level of inflation, a decrease in the budget deficit and external debt, and an increase in foreign currency reserves. Despite these achievements, Albania continues to be one of the poorest countries in Europe. In FY 2005, USG programs advanced economic reform by providing technical assistance and funding to: promote the sustained growth of micro-, small- and medium-sized enterprises; increase private sector competitiveness; and improve financial services, focusing on central bank operations, bank supervision, deposit insurance, and GOA debt management. USG programs supported non-profit organizations and other civil society institutions that foster citizens' awareness and involvement in ongoing legal and regulatory reforms.
Albania continues to face serious energy crises that threaten the sustainability of its economic growth. Lack of investment in new generation facilities, poor maintenance of existing facilities, and limited capacity for electricity imports has significantly reduced energy supply in Albania at the same time that demand is growing. A primary focus of USG assistance was restructuring the power sector through the introduction of legislation that will help integrate Albania into the South East European Regional Energy Market and the E.C. energy market. Better regional integration will stabilize the national electrical system and Albania's overall energy security through a least-cost approach that will link Albania more closely to the EU.
Social Reform and Humanitarian Assistance: Despite improvements in the past few years, mortality and morbidity levels in Albania remain high. Extensive reforms of the health care system are prerequisite to raising health indicators to levels comparable to those of neighboring countries. The GOA is actively encouraging health sector reforms, and in September 2005, the new government program for 2005-2009 was approved by the Albanian Parliament, pledging "fundamental reform of the health system at all levels with considerable allocation of public funds." However, Primary Health Care (PHC) reforms, a stated GOA priority, remain tentative and fragmented, and the poor quality of PHC services and endemic corruption has provoked public disdain and low utilization. USG assistance improved the technical competencies of PHC providers in a wide range of health needs, including family planning, HIV/AIDS/STIs, and antenatal care and breastfeeding through training programs, increased access to integrated services, established health information systems and regional quality boards, and pilot testing of efficient health care models in support of the GOA's Ministry of Health (MOH) efforts. Programs also focused on health sector decentralization, increasing transparency in financing mechanisms, and improving coordination among all public and private sector health care providers and concerned donors.
Security, Regional Stability and Law Enforcement: In some ways, it appears that the easy part of Albania's transition is over. It has model laws on the books, a good constitution, functioning - though immature - democratic institutions, and basic market-based economic structures. Overcoming widespread corruption and organized crime, however, will test its fledging economic, political, and social systems. In FY 2005, the USG continued to support the Ministry of Interior (MOI), the Albanian State Police (ASP), the Office of the Prosecutor General (OPG), and the Ministry of Justice (MOJ), to improve the GOA's performance and capabilities in law enforcement, public security, and criminal justice. Expertise, training, and equipment were provided to the Organized Crime Directorate to enhance its investigative capabilities, as well as to the Serious Crimes Prosecution Office (SCPO), prosecutors' offices nationwide, and the Department of Codification at the MOJ.
USG assistance strengthened Albania's law enforcement and criminal justice capabilities and accountability through training, equipment, and technical assistance provided to the Ministry of Public Order's (now Interior) Office of Internal Control, which investigates internal corruption, and to the OPG, both independently and through Albania's School of Magistrates. SEED funds supported the ASP's reform of the Police Academy and training division and the development of merit-based personnel management procedures and structures. To improve the effectiveness and capabilities of the police and prosecutors, the USG provided support for the development and installation of information management systems and for the police and training for the prosecutors' offices.
Legislative reform also featured strongly in USG assistance in criminal justice, with the USG providing expert input on several key legislative packages targeting organized crime, witness protection, asset forfeiture, and terrorism financing.
USG assistance expanded its focus on the prevention of trafficking and the protection and reintegration of trafficked victims. SEED funds were used for two comprehensive anti-trafficking initiatives; one focused specifically against child trafficking and the other an umbrella activity to coordinate, integrate, and support NGO, GOA, and civil society efforts to significantly reduce the trafficking of women and girls and improve their reintegration. These activities are being reinforced by a separate activity to strengthen women's legal rights. The USG also continued support to the enforcement component of trafficking as it refocused assistance from the previous Three-Port Strategy to a broader focus on Integrated Border Management (IBM). The objective of IBM is the restructuring and professionalization of the Border and Migration Police for better enforcement at all of Albania's borders and points of entry/departure.
Albania is actively supporting U.S. operations in Iraq and NATO operations in Afghanistan and Bosnia with combat troops. U.S. Foreign Military Funding (FMF) and the Defense Readiness Initiative (DRI) have been the foundations for these Albanian contributions. The Albanian Armed Forces (AAF), through the National Military Strategy, is making progress in its planned ten-year transition from a post-Communist force with extremely limited capabilities and dangerously outdated stockpiles of arms and ammunition, to a modern, mobile military suitable for Albania's defense needs and future NATO membership. However, the GOA is financially strapped and unable to meet NATO standards or modernize without foreign advice and assistance. USG assistance includes military education and training, assistance for mine clearance and mine victim assistance, and support for the destruction of small arms and light weapons as well as chemical warfare agents.
COUNTRY PERFORMANCE MEASURES
Albanian Democratic Reform
The "radar" or "spider web" graphs below illustrate Albania's democratic performance during 2004. Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale, with 5 representing the greatest advancement. These charts provide a disaggregated look at each of the indices and are reported to Congress on a regular basis. The gray shaded area represents 2004 performance levels, while the two dark lines indicate how each country compares in its progress vis-à-vis two standards: (1) the average of Romania's and Bulgaria's performance in each indicator as of 2002 (2002 was the year that Romania and Bulgaria - the "threshold countries" - were invited to join NATO and received favorable indications of future EU membership); and, (2) where the country stood in each indicator in 1999. Together, these charts provide a broad picture of where remaining gaps are in a country's performance, and to what extent these gaps are being filled. For more information, including a detailed explanation of each indicator shown in the graph, see USAID/E&E/PO, "Monitoring Country Progress in Central and Eastern Europe & Eurasia," No. 9 (April 2005). Found online: www.usaid.gov/locations/europe_eurasia/country_progress/.
The graph shows
*Actual 2005 not yet available.
The graph shows
*Actual 2005 scores not yet available.
Albanian Economic Reform
The "radar" or "spider web" graphs below illustrate Albania's economic performance during 2004. Ratings are based on a 1 to 5 scale, with 5 representing the greatest advancement. These charts provide a disaggregated look at each of the indices and are reported to Congress on a regular basis. The gray shaded area represents 2004 performance levels, while the two dark line indicates how each country compares in its progress vis-à-vis two standards: (1) the average of Romania's and Bulgaria's performance in each indicator as of 2002 (2002 was the year that Romania and Bulgaria - the "threshold countries" - were invited to join NATO and received favorable indications of future EU membership); and (2) where the country stood in each indicator in 1999. Together, these charts provide a broad picture of where remaining gaps are in a country's performance, and to what extent these gaps are being filled. For more information, including a detailed explanation of each indicator shown in the graph, see USAID/E&E/PO, "Monitoring Country Progress in Central and Eastern Europe & Eurasia," No. 9 (April 2005). Found online: www.usaid.gov/locations/europe_eurasia/country_progress/.
The graph shows
*Actual 2005 scores not yet available.
The graph shows
*Actual 2005 scores not yet available.
FY 2005 Country Program Performance
Democratic Reform
The OSCE-brokered bipartisan consensus on changes to the electoral law paved the way for the July 2005 parliamentary elections, which were judged to be in "partial compliance" with international standards. The elections resulted in a peaceful transfer of power, a milestone in Albania's democratization process and its prospects for EU accession.
Corruption remains one of the most severe deterrents to Albania's political and economic development. Despite Parliament's enactment of laws aimed at organized crime and conflicts of interest, the Government's ability or will to implement and enforce compliance with laws remained weak. The judiciary continued to be regarded as among Albania's most tainted institutions. For the third consecutive year, Albania's score and rank in the Transparency International Corruption Perceptions Index worsened.
The dialogue between central and local authorities over fiscal decentralization resumed at the end of 2005, and began to bear fruit in agreement over issues like water and budget transfers. The overall media picture is one of stasis. There was no change in the aggregate Media Sustainability Index in the past year and other indices indicate a decline in media independence. Albania's media outlets are still publicly linked to or subordinate to politico-economic interests that color their reporting. Defamation remains a criminal offense, which has a chilling effect on news reporting.
U.S. ASSISTANCE PRIORITIES
U.S. Government (USG) assistance focused on strengthening civil society, fostering citizen involvement in economic and political processes and decision making, increasing transparency of information and citizen confidence in the government and in the accuracy of news and information, increasing independence of local administration from central government, and strengthening government institutions. Rule of Law programs to improve legal institutions and establishing more transparency and accountability in the government, strengthened government audit and accountability mechanisms and fostered judicial integrity. USG programs also supported NGOs and other civil society institutions to promote a watchdog function and increase involvement in legal and regulatory reforms.
PROGRAM PERFORMANCE
Strengthening Civil Society: Civic monitoring activities related to the July 2005 parliamentary elections drove civil society improvement. The Albanian Coalition Against Corruption (ACAC) brought together seven NGOs, mobilizing a record 3,000 volunteers who monitored more than a third of Albania's voting centers and all vote-counting centers. The USG also funded the European Network of Election Monitoring Organizations (ENEMO), a coalition of NGOs from Central and Eastern Europe. USG election assistance increased international scrutiny while transferring skills to Albanian election monitors.
The USG funded Albania's first election poll in April 2005, triggering a robust media response and a vigorous debate about polling and the specific findings of the poll. The findings had an impact on civil society and political party behavior during the campaign, especially as parties and candidates began to shape their campaigns around issues the poll identified as important to voters. The USG-funded poll accurately foreshadowed the election result.
Increasing Media Independence and Development: The election cycle highlighted the longstanding issue of media subordination to political and economic interests. USG assistance was aimed at reversing the deterioration of medias' independence by redoubling efforts to emphasize professional ethics. A USG-funded media monitoring effort caused a short-term improvement in news coverage. With USG assistance, three ACAC member organizations surveyed media outlets during the lead-up to the elections, encouraging media to balance their campaign coverage in compliance with the Electoral Code. The result was a dramatic improvement in media coverage.
Three U.S. media consultants worked with several private television stations on business management, marketing and sales, programming, and reporting techniques (including election reporting). With the help of a USG-funded consultant, six regional stations established a network to compete with the national stations, resulting in increased advertising sales, more consumer-oriented content, and improved management.
Strengthening Democratic Local Governance: In FY 2005, the USG's Local Government and Decentralization Program expanded from 10 to 24 target cities and opened regional offices in Shkodër, Pogradec, Fier, and Gjirokastër. Some 40 Service Improvement Action Plans (SIAPs) in 23 local governments were prepared for implementation in 2006. Local services in USG-targeted cities improved modestly in quality and coverage, e.g., in sanitation, water, electrification, and street repair. Two USG grants trained citizen groups and decision-makers (civil servants, educators, parents, local government officials) to identify communal problems and increase citizens' participation in governance.
Support for Free and Fair Elections: A USG election-administration program contributed to an election regarded by international and domestic observers as improved in most respects, and one that produced a watershed moment for Albanian democracy as witnessed by an orderly transfer of power. The European Union (EU) specifically cited the electoral process improvement as the primary reason for expediting Albania's EU association process.
The USG provided satellite images that were used to produce computerized maps of all Albania's polling units. The maps proved crucial to the electoral process in helping cities update voter lists, giving Parliament a means to ratify electoral districts, and guiding the deployment of international monitors. The maps were given to the GOA for use in future elections.
The Central Elections Commission (CEC) received training for election officials on voting and counting procedures, which were instrumental in the context of the new electoral law. The USG trained poll watchers and observer NGOs on a potentially problematic feature of the law: the centralization of vote counting. The USG published all of the CEC voting and counting procedure manuals, which were placed in all 4,800 polling places and in all 100 zonal counting centers. The ready availability of procedure manuals reduced the incidence of irregularities despite numerous changes to the electoral code. Jointly with the CEC, the USG produced a multimedia voter information campaign explaining the new voting procedures while urging people to vote.
In October 2004, a weeklong USG program on U.S. elections was widely reported by the media, providing Albanians with accurate information about the electoral process in an established democratic system. Five SEED-funded grants addressed pressing needs identified by Albanians for their own general elections, such as increasing women's participation in politics, facilitating involvement in the electoral process by disabled people and senior citizens, and training national domestic election observers. These programs complemented other donors' electoral reform activities.
Political Parties Strengthened: FY 2005 saw the advent of a USG-funded political party Leadership Academy and the signing of compacts between a USG partner and all major political parties to adopt the One Member One Vote (OMOV) principle in their party by-laws. The principle of OMOV was put into practice by the Socialist Party in the selection of its new leadership following the party's defeat in July 2005.
Promote and Support Anti-Corruption Reforms: The first year of a new approach on anticorruption yielded results, particularly as a result of USG support to the High Inspectorate for the Declaration and Audit of Assets. Albania's asset disclosure law, enacted in 2004, obliges officials to file declarations of assets annually. A USG advisor to the Inspectorate trained inspectors and assisted the agency in developing a case management system to expedite and improve audits. Modest results were apparent despite serious obstacles, including lack of political will and poor quality of information received from banks and government institutions. Eight officials were dismissed as a result of audits, two audits were referred to prosecutors for investigation in FY 2005, and one official was imprisoned.
USG support to watchdogs and key justice associations produced stronger NGOs and increased public awareness. Two key international indices cited USG assistance to the Citizens Advocacy Office (CAO) as one reason for improved advocacy and sector sustainability. The CAO proved a visible advocate for judicial reform by launching class-action lawsuits and coming out in favor of multiple reforms, including one aimed at the High Council of Justice. To improve the CAO's long-term sustainability prospects, the USG helped the CAO forge a partnership with Transparency International and create a Board of Friends made up of major businesses and donors. The USG also supported the National Chamber of Advocates (NCA), the professional association for Albanian lawyers, and has prodded the NCA to establish a disciplinary committee to enforce the newly revised Code of Ethics, which provides for sanctions against lawyers who violate its provisions.
Fostering Religious Harmony: The USG's Fostering Religious Harmony Program encouraged Albania's major religious groups to seek common ground and collaborate in visible ways. Interfaith workshops were conducted on everything from conflict resolution to leadership, human rights, and cooperation. A grant-making component specifically targeted mixed-faith communities with the aim of fostering interfaith teamwork on local development projects. The project spawned Albania's first interfaith summer camp, which afforded 120 youths from Albania's major religious groups the chance to share experiences and concerns while learning about each others' faiths. Finally, a televised interfaith discussion was sponsored and two interfaith advisory committees in two target cities were established.
Through two Democracy Commission Small Grants program grants, participants from diverse religious backgrounds worked successfully together on projects to improve their community. In Peshkopi, Muslim leaders worked with the local government to encourage dropout students' return to school. In addition, the project helped introduce civic curricula in a Tirana madressa - a pilot initiative that will be replicated in other madressas in Albania. At another madressa, the project helped students to petition the government to build a new gymnasium. USG assistance also supported a national workshop as the concluding activity of a series of "tolerance days".
MEASURES OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS
In order to determine how U.S. Government assistance affects a country, U.S. embassies set targets for improvement called "performance indicators." Data for these indicators are collected by research institutes, embassies and international organizations. By examining data over time, U.S. policymakers better understand whether specific assistance programs are making their intended impact and, if necessary, how to adjust these programs to improve the impact.
Please find below two important indicators in the area of Democratic Reform. In the charts, the "Baseline" refers to a starting point from which to measure progress or regression over time. The embassy and its partner organizations then agree on a "Target" figure that they hope to achieve as a result of U.S. assistance programs. The "Rank" figure is the resulting measurement. "FY" stands for "fiscal year," the period of the U.S. budget that runs from October 1 - September 30 of the following year. "CY" stands for "calendar year," or January 1 - December 31.
Performance Indicator: Civil Society Index. This indicator assesses the growth of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), their organizational capacity and financial sustainability, and the legal and political environment in which they function, the development of free trade unions, and interest group participation in the policy process. (7-point scale: 1 indicates a very advanced NGO sector, 7 indicates a weak NGO sector) Source: Freedom House, Nations in Transit 2005. The 2005 rank is based on 2004 data. Found online: www.freedomhouse.org/research/nattransit.htm.
|
CY 2003 Baseline |
CY 2004 Rank |
CY 2005 Target |
CY 2005 Rank |
|
3.75 |
3.50 |
3.25 |
3.25 |
The 2005 Freedom House Nations in Transit annual score, which is based on data collected in 2004, shows a positive improvement. In addition, both the NGO Sustainability Index and Freedom House Nations in Transit indicators show a second consecutive year of gain, and cite USG assistance to the Citizens Advocacy Office (CAO) as one reason for improved advocacy and sector sustainability. Most of the NGO sector in Albania remains heavily reliant on donor funds, though a few NGOs this year succeeded in diversifying their sources of support, ensuring greater self-sustainability.
Performance Indicator: Media Sustainability Index 2005. The MSI assesses five "objectives" in shaping a successful media system: free speech; professional journalism; plurality of news sources; business management; supporting institutions. The MSI uses a four-point scale, with a 0-1 range indicating unsustainable, anti-free press, a 1-2 range indicating an unsustainable mixed system, a 2-3 range indicating near sustainability, and a 3-4 range indicating a sustainable, free media environment. Source: USAID/IREX, Media Sustainability Index 2005. CY 2005 rank based on data collected in CY 2005. Found online: www.irex.org/msi/index.asp.
|
CY 2003 Baseline |
CY 2004 Rank |
CY 2005 Target |
CY 2005 Rank |
|
2.01 |
2.02 |
2.15 |
2.27 |
The 2005 rank indicates that the sustainability of the media system in Albania has improved and has even exceeded the target set. USG efforts focused on increasing the transparency of information and increasing citizen confidence in the accuracy of news and information. Specifically, the USG is supporting civic and legal attempts to combat corruption and consolidate democratic reforms along with efforts to preserve media freedom by establishing institutions that will protect journalists from pressure of political and business groups. The journalism community, supported by the USG established the Union of Albanian Journalists, a trade union that protects the rights of journalists as stipulated in their work contracts. In addition, USAID programs have helped journalists improve investigating reporting skills and production techniques.
Economic Reform
Continued macro-economic stability and structural reforms, migrant remittances, and increased productivity in 2005 helped Albania achieve significant economic growth, a low level of inflation, a decrease in budget deficit and external debt, and an increase in foreign currency reserves. While the gross domestic product had been expected to maintain a growth rate of 6 percent, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) recently downgraded its expectations because of worsening power shortages in late 2005. The per capita GDP in 2004 was $2,400, a 23.1 percent increase from the previous year, and the average annual inflation was 2.3 percent. Public revenue slightly increased to 24.8 percent of GDP in 2004. Sound financial-sector policies succeeded in expanding banking intermediation and reducing cash transactions. Bank credit to the private sector has grown significantly.
Despite these impressive achievements, Albania continues to be one of the poorest countries in Europe. About one-fourth of the population lives below the poverty line of $2 per capita per day, and the official unemployment rate remains high at 14.6 percent. Foreign direct investment was still among the lowest in the region, at $340 million at the end of 2004. Albania's weak competitiveness has stymied broad-based export-driven expansion of the economy. The investment environment remains unfavorable due to severe infrastructure deficiencies, weak governance and institutions, unresolved property issues, lack of a highly skilled work force, and a large informal economy. The total level of bank credit to the private sector, though expanding rapidly, is still the lowest in the region. Albania continues to face serious energy crises that threaten economic growth and contribute to an uncertain environment for business development. The Albanian power system depends on rainfall for its hydro-power, which provides more than 95 percent of its electricity generation. Lack of investment in new generation facilities, poor maintenance of existing facilities, and limited capacity for electricity imports has significantly reduced energy supply in Albania at the same time that demand is growing. Supply problems are compounded by weak institutional capacity to implement necessary reforms of the energy sector and inefficient management of the state-owned Albanian Power Corporation (KESH).
U.S. ASSISTANCE PRIORITIES
In 2005, the USG assisted Albania in addressing the issues of small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) development, unemployment, poverty, trade competitiveness, and foreign direct investment. The USG's program supported the sustained growth of SMEs through: improving private sector competitiveness; strengthening the financial services sector and increasing access to capital; and improving economic policy and the business environment. USG assistance aimed to enhance the competitiveness of Albanian enterprises in domestic and foreign markets, increase exports, encourage domestic and foreign investments, create jobs, and reduce poverty.
Additionally, the USG is focused on enhancing the financial sector, in particular the banking sector. Debt management is essential, as the total amount of debt outstanding has grown substantially in recent years. Assistance to newly established agencies dealing with money laundering, asset disclosure, and accounting is critical. Efforts to improve the Albania power sector are necessary in order to foster a more favorable environment for business development.
PROGRAM PERFORMANCE
Improving Private Sector Competitiveness: Thousands of SMEs have utilized USG assistance to improve capacity and obtain credit. Small dairy and livestock farmers have moved from subsistence farming to small and medium-sized commercial production. Dairy processors have increased their revenues by improving the quality and quantity of their products. Assisted firms realized $110.5 million in domestic sales and $44.6 million in exports. Many assisted enterprises reported an increase in sales of up to 25 percent in domestic markets and 28 percent in export markets. These sale results do not include sales by several thousand micro-enterprises that received USG-supported micro-finance loans.
The Bank of Albania (BOA), the Deposit Insurance Agency (DIA), and the Insurance Supervisory Authority received technical assistance to improve financial sector stability and strengthen public confidence in the banking system, thereby increasing the flow of capital to the private sector. In addition to improving the BOA's internal operations and supervisory capacity, USG assistance helped the BOA and DIA meet World Bank targets. The value of the deposits in the banking system continued the positive growth trend that started in 2001, indicating growing confidence in the banking system. Bank deposits increased from $3.46 billion in 2003 to $4.09 billion at the end of the second quarter of 2005.
Improving Economic Policy and the Business Environment: The USG helped the GOA undertake policy and regulatory reforms that enhanced the competitiveness of enterprises, improved capacity to benefit from Albania's eight free trade agreements, and encouraged investment. Efforts also focused on anti-corruption, business ethics, reduction of regulatory and fiscal barriers to business development, improvement of the energy sector, and maintenance of a sound financial sector.
The USG works with the European Commission and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) in property registration and the implementation of the law on property restitution and compensation, with GTZ in SME development, and with the IMF in improvement of the financial-services sector. The most important collaboration is in the energy sector, with the World Bank playing the coordinating role.
Debt Management: The USG provided the Ministry of Finance (MOF) and the Central Bank of Albania with a full time advisor on debt management, who focused on refinancing risk. The MOF successfully introduced a new three-year bond cycle to the market in April 2005. With the advisor's assistance, the MOF increased individual participation in the government securities market during 2005. Statistics show that a high degree of individual funds are continuously 'rolled over', providing a much needed stable source of capital to the MOF.
Financial Crimes Enforcement: Beginning in June of 2005, the USG provided a full-time advisor to assist and support the Ministry of Finance through its Fight against Money Laundering (FAML) directorate and its sub-agency, the Administration of Sequestered and Confiscated Assets (AASCA), the High Inspectorate for Disclosure and Audit of Assets, and the Supreme Audit Institute.
Energy: The major objective of the USG's energy program is to strengthen the Electricity Regulatory Entity's (ERE) capacity to function as an independent and transparent regulatory body. Increased capacity will allow the ERE to establish transparent policies and procedures for tariff setting, licensing and oversight, which are required for a reliable, environmentally sound, and financially self-sufficient power sector. The USG also assists KESH in developing the financial and operational management capacities to become an effective participant in the Energy Community for South East Europe (ECSEE) and to unbundle its generation, transmission, and distribution assets into independent, stand-alone companies.
Expanding Knowledge of Modern Business Practices: Five USG grants administered in small to medium-sized cities inculcated modern business practices, improving the business environment and reducing corruption. One grant trained women to open small businesses. Another provided English-language and computer skills training to enhance the job skills of disadvantaged community members. A third grant trained workshop participants in twelve towns on taxes, finances, banking, customs, and procurement. Following the conclusion of the workshops in Korce, a local commercial specialist reported that local tax procedures have been streamlined, businesses have been more successful in obtaining bank loans (especially in remote areas), citizens better understand procurement procedures, and the local government is using public funds more effectively and with greater transparency.
MEASURES OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS
In order to determine how U.S. Government assistance affects a country, U.S. embassies set targets for improvement called "performance indicators." Data for these indicators are collected by research institutes, embassies and international organizations. By examining data over time, U.S. policymakers better understand whether specific assistance programs are making their intended impact and, if necessary, how to adjust these programs to improve the impact.
Please find below two important indicators in the area of Economic Reform. In the charts, the "Baseline" refers to a starting point from which to measure progress or regression over time. The embassy and its partner organizations then agree on a "Target" figure that they hope to achieve as a result of U.S. assistance programs. The "Rank" figure is the resulting measurement. "FY" stands for "fiscal year," the period of the U.S. budget that runs from October 1 - September 30 of the following year. "CY" stands for "calendar year," or January 1 - December 31.
Performance Indicator: Business start-up: World Bank's Doing Business Database provides measures of business regulations and their enforcement for 145 economies, such as the number of procedures and the number of days to start a business, among others. The database is used by the World Bank to assess the investment climate. The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) also uses the "number of days to start a business" as a measure of economic freedom in selecting recipient countries for MCA. On average, it takes a business in a developed nation six procedures and 27 days to get started. Source: World Bank Report, Doing Business 2005. The CY 2005 rank below is based on data collected in 2004. Found online: cdie.usaid.gov/esds/sources.cfm.
|
FY 2004 Baseline |
CY 2005 Target |
CY 2005 Rank |
|
11 procedures/47 days |
10 procedures/42 days |
11 procedures/41 days |
The CY 2005 rank indicates no improvement in the number of procedures it takes to start a business in Albania. However, it does indicate some improvement in the number of days it takes to start a business. USG efforts to improve the business environment for private sector-led growth have been hampered by persistent widespread corruption and the lack of political will to address simplification of business registration, elimination of administrative barriers, and fiscal reforms. The implementation of the Millennium Challenge Corporation Threshold Program in Albania and the pro-business and anti-corruption policies of the new Albanian Government, if implemented, should notably improve the business environment.
Performance Indicator: Index of Economic Freedom. The Index ranks 161 countries against a list of 50 independent variables divided into ten broad factors including, trade policy, fiscal burden, government intervention, monetary policy, foreign investment, banking and finance, wages and prices, property rights, regulation, and black market. All Factors of Economic Freedom are measured on a scale of 1 to 5. A score of 1 indicates policies most conducive to economic freedom, and a score of 5 indicates policies that are the least conducive. The Overall Score is an average of all ten factors and follows the same scaling. Source: 2006 Index of Economic Freedom. Heritage Foundation/Wall Street Journal, November 2005. Found online: www.heritage.org/research/features/index.
|
CY 2003 Baseline |
CY 2004 Rank |
CY 2005 Target |
CY 2005 Rank |
|
3.27 |
3.1 |
2.90 |
2.75 |
The 2005 rank indicates a slight improvement in economic freedom in Albania. While USG programs are strengthening the financial services sector and increasing access to capital and credit provided to SMEs, Albania's development has been significantly retarded by political and economic corruption. Since coming to power in July 2002, the socialist government has failed to reform the judicial system to any significant degree and has been unsuccessful in fighting corruption and organized crime. Many members of the political elite are allegedly involved in criminal activities, and the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development reports that in the private sector, the level of informal activity exceeds the level of formal activity. World Bank data indicate that 77 percent of Albanian companies have bribed officials. The training of police, prosecutors, and judges remains a high priority for USG assistance.
Social Reform and Humanitarian Assistance
Despite improvements in the past few years, mortality and morbidity levels in Albania remain high and GOA investment in the sector remains irregular. Extensive legal, regulatory, financial and programmatic reforms of the health care system are required to raise health indicators to levels comparable to those of neighboring countries.
The GOA is actively encouraging health sector reforms. In 2004, the Council of Ministers approved a ten-year health strategy with the reform of primary health care (PHC) as the foundation. In September 2005, the new government program for 2005-2009 was approved by the Albanian Parliament, pledging "fundamental reform of the health system at all levels with considerable allocation of public funds." PHC reforms remain tentative and fragmented. Historically, health resource allocations have been highly centralized and over-emphasized costly hospital and specialist care. The poor quality of PHC services and endemic corruption throughout the health care system have provoked public disdain and low utilization.
U.S. ASSISTANCE PRIORITIES
The USG's Health Program is designed to: 1) promote operational PHC models that increase capacity to absorb public finance based on greater quality and public demand for primary and preventive health services; 2) expose health care officials to modern financial management, investment tools and methods of testing and implementation; and 3) promote the use of currently available contraception alternatives that will help reduce widespread reliance on pregnancy termination.
PROGRAM PERFORMANCE
Improving Maternal Health and Nutrition and Improving Child Survival, Health and Nutrition: The USG increased support for key maternal health services and child survival promotion and services, and expanded model services from the pilot region of Berat to four additional regions. PHC centers with one or more improved features increased from 18 to 528 and use of PHC services in the enlarged project areas increased. A new PHC continuing medical education curriculum was completed and training has reached about 4 percent of all nurses and midwives at the national level. The MOH adopted COPE (Client-oriented Provider-efficient) methodology, which was introduced in four prefectures for PHC needs assessment, provider and client empowerment, and local team building and action plans. The quality improvement program included 856 service providers from 61 health centers and 199 health posts, and provided measurable improvements in the quality of services.
Supporting Family Planning: The USG's family planning project increased the number of sites equipped with trained personnel and supplies for family planning services from 96 to 170. Couples' knowledge of modern methods of contraception increased and contraceptive prevalence rates in the covered areas doubled from 8.5 percent in 2003 to 15 percent in 2005. During 2005, the program reached an additional 32 percent of centers that did not have access to family planning services and modern contraceptives. Service providers at 83 percent of all service delivery points nationwide have now been trained in supply logistics management. However, shortages of key family planning methods continue to be a chronic problem due to poor district and local logistics management and administrative delays. The GOA has yet to make its national Contraceptive Security Commission and Logistics Management Information System fully functional despite several years of external support.
Preventing and Controlling Infectious Diseases: The USG increased its support for surveillance and control of tuberculosis (TB) through an umbrella contract. An assessment identified priorities for early detection and Directly Observed Therapy Short Course (DOTS) case management, and a TB component was developed accordingly. Separately, the USG assisted the GOA's successful re-application to the Global Fund for HIV/AIDS, TB, and Malaria (GF). Albania is now eligible to receive considerable GF funding for prevention and control of tuberculosis, which should help to keep TB in Albania at its currently low level.
Reducing Transmission and Impact of HIV/AIDS: The USG began significant support for the GOA's AIDS program in 2005. STI and HIV prevalence rates are still low in Albania; USG assistance helped develop a national HIV/AIDS monitoring and evaluation plan - a critical feature of which was the surveillance of high-risk groups. Directly and through two partners, the USG supported design and data collection for a biological and behavioral surveillance survey, which included a sample of 1,640 people at risk of HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The survey included case detection and treatment and technology transfer for bio-behavioral research, rapid testing, and on-going disease surveillance.
Financing Primary Health Care: A major achievement during FY 2005 was the testing of a more fully functional Health Management Information System (HMIS). The HMIS has given health authorities and providers their first sound decision-making tool. Designed to support health financing system reforms, and its expansion to more than 320 health centers in five regions, nationwide roll-out is to be completed in 2006.
Human and Institutional Capacity Development: In FY 2005, the USG implemented 34 training programs and 15 small grants. Through the Participant Training Program, 3,781 Albanians participated in training, whether tailored programs, conferences or through grants. In addition, the USG awarded 15 grants to former training program participants to implement training related follow-on activities. As a result, many inexperienced local organizations and institutions improved their ability to organize and financially manage effective training and development activities.
MEASURES OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS
In order to determine how U.S. Government assistance affects a country, U.S. embassies set targets for improvement called "performance indicators." Data for these indicators are collected by research institutes, embassies and international organizations. By examining data over time, U.S. policymakers better understand whether specific assistance programs are making their intended impact and, if necessary, how to adjust these programs to improve the impact.
Please find below an important indicator in the area of Social Reform and Humanitarian Assistance. In the charts, the "Baseline" refers to a starting point from which to measure progress or regression over time. The embassy and its partner organizations then agree on a "Target" figure that they hope to achieve as a result of U.S. assistance programs. The "Rank" figure is the resulting measurement. "FY" stands for "fiscal year," the period of the U.S. budget that runs from October 1 - September 30 of the following year. "CY" stands for "calendar year," or January 1 - December 31.
Performance Indicator: Under Five Mortality. This indicator gives the number of deaths of infants under one year old in a given year per 1,000 live births in the same year; included is the total death rate. This rate is often used as an indicator of the level of health in a country. Source: CIA World Factbook 2005. Data presented is as of January 2006. Found online: www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook.
|
FY 2003 Baseline |
FY 2004 Rank |
FY 2005 Target |
FY 2005 Rank |
|
37.74 deaths/1,000 live births |
22.31 deaths/1,000 live births |
Total 21.50/1,000 live births |
Total 21.52 deaths/1,000 live births |
The above indicator demonstrates a steady improvement in Albania's infant mortality rate. The USG increased support for key maternal health services and child survival promotion and services, and expanded model services from the pilot region of Berat to four additional regions. Primary health care centers with one or more improved features increased from 18 to 528 and use of primary health care services in the enlarged project areas increased. The USG's Health Program is designed to promote operational Primary Health Care models that: increase capacity to absorb public finance based on greater quality and public demand for primary and preventive health services; expose health care officials to modern financial management, investment tools and methods of testing and implementation; and promote the use of currently available contraception alternatives that will help reduce widespread reliance on pregnancy termination.
Security, Regional Stability and Law Enforcement
The GOA is a strong supporter of the Global War on Terror (GWOT), deploying combat troops to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Bosnia-Herzegovina. Albania's efforts to reform its military in line with NATO standards will support its ability to continue this contribution. Organized crime and corruption remain two of the biggest threats to Albania's stability and the sustainability of its law enforcement institutions. The GOA has made public commitments to secure its borders and improve interdiction capabilities as part of its plan for combating corruption.
U.S. ASSISTANCE PRIORITIES
USG efforts focused on: combating organized crime; enhancing police integrity and accountability; fighting trafficking in humans, narcotics and other contraband; and, raising the professionalism and effectiveness of the Albanian State Police (ASP). USG programs also worked to stem trafficking by continuing to improve border controls. The training of police, prosecutors, and judges remains a high priority. Security programs worked to increase the efficiency and coordination of processes between police and prosecutors in order to increase the conviction rate.
PROGRAM PERFORMANCE
Justice Sector: Albania's judicial system ranks among the most corrupt institutions. In FY 2005, USG efforts focused on: combating organized crime; enhancing police integrity and accountability; fighting trafficking in humans, narcotics and other contraband and raising the professionalism and effectiveness of the Albanian State Police (ASP) by developing its information management capabilities. Training, equipment support, and full-time technical assistance have been provided to the Directorate for Organized Crime and its five sectors: Financial Crimes, Anti-Narcotics, Anti-Trafficking, Criminal Analysis, and Special Operations. The USG initiated, with international counterparts, a project to develop witness protection capabilities in the Albanian criminal justice system - a critical component in the Government's capability to effectively deal with organized crime. The USG assisted the Ministries of Public Order and Justice in drafting the recently passed witness protection legislation and in strengthening the transparency of the courts, while providing assistance to witnesses pending the law's full implementation.
Since the GOA officially launched the Serious Crimes Prosecutor's Office (SCPO), and its former constituent, the Organized Crime Task Force (OCTF), in January 2004, the USG has continued to provide training, technical expertise, and investigative equipment. USG-provided advisory support, training and equipment to the Ministry of Interior's (MOI) Office of Internal Control, which is responsible for investigating corruption and misconduct within the MOI, resulted in a sharp increase in the number of investigations and prosecutions. Through September, the SCPO had opened 39 formal investigations for trafficking in children or women, 21 for exploiting women through prostitution, and initiated 235 formal investigations in other organized crime cases, with approximately 85 percent of the trials resulting in conviction. SEED-funded programs also improved the human resource management policies and mechanisms of the ASP with the objective of achieving transparent, merit-based promotion, and management of personnel. During 2005, USG assistance initiated a revamp of the Police Academy and supported the development of an effective ASP Training Division. Police education reform is closely integrated with development of a professional personnel management structure for an enhanced formation, deployment, and administration of the ASP.
Through the Three Port Strategy and its successor, the Integrated Border Management Project, significant assistance has been provided to bring the airport and the seaports into compliance with international security standards. In the seaports, the USG is working with the GOA to support conformity with the International Ship and Port Facility Security Regulations of the International Maritime Organization. As a result, Albania, though not fully compliant, has been taken off the US Coast Guard (USCG) Advisory of countries not compliant with the International Ship and Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code.
The Total Information Management System (TIMS) was designed, installed, and implemented by the USG, in cooperation with the EU. It will ultimately provide national coverage and greatly enhance case management, criminal analysis, border control, investigative support, and access to data. During 2005, the system was installed at all ten of Albania's major border crossing points, increasing the interdiction of traffickers and victims and disrupting the trafficking networks. Also during 2005, the ASP's TIMS network was connected to the General Prosecutors Offices, the Tirana and Durres District Prosecutors' offices, and the Serious Crimes offices. This work enhances communication and information sharing among police and prosecutors, and has facilitated a quicker and more effective management and presentation of criminal cases in court.
The USG has played a critical coordinating role as a member of the steering committee of the International Consortium, an organization dedicated to coordinating the assistance offered to the GOA by the international community in the area of law enforcement and the rule of law. The Consortium has improved border control, coordinated anti-trafficking strategies, anti-organized crime efforts, court reform, legislative reform, and community policing, and implemented information management systems. A new working group was formed during the past year to organize and coordinate efforts in the area of witness protection.
Simultaneously, the USG has pushed for implementation of the landmark Law on the Declaration of Assets, which requires the disclosure of the assets of senior politicians, civil servants, and public officials. The USG has played a similar role with respect to the 2003 money laundering law and the 2004 terror financing freeze law, placing a technical expert within the General Directorate for the Fight against Money Laundering to insure that both laws are implemented effectively. This year saw the first effective implementation of the Terrorism Financing Freeze Law, with freezes against eight individuals or entities, holding assets worth more than $3.5 million. The USG continues to play a key advisory role in the drafting and implementation of key legislation, including the conflict of interest law and the law governing the organization and functioning of the National Judicial Conference, which was enacted in May.
Improve Justice Sector/Legal Framework: In FY 2005, USG assistance to pilot courts and national court administrative institutions continued with case management training for the Vlora and Kavaja pilot courts. The USG also: continued court administration courses in partnership with the School of Magistrates; trained Court chancellors on court administration; continued to automate civil and criminal case management in Shkoder, Vlore and Kavaja; and trained court personnel. The USG delivered and installed 80 copies of the updated legal acts database throughout the judiciary and developed a Customer Bill of Rights and Responsibilities, now posted in all pilot courts. The result was improvement in the efficiency and transparency in the USG-supported courts. Despite USG efforts, there was no change in the macro measures of legal system performance, and the Nations in Transit Index shows a slight drop in the aggregate score on legal and judicial reforms.
USG partners contributed to women's legal rights through training for sitting judges and students of the Magistrates School on family law, anti-trafficking, and domestic violence. The USG delivered a Family Law Bench Book, an Anti-Trafficking Resource Manual, and Gender Legislation Booklet - all "how-to" manuals aimed at legal professionals. The USG-funded Women's Legal Rights Initiative (WLR) developed a Domestic Violence bill, which offers new protections to women and children in particular.
Anti-Trafficking In Persons: The fight against trafficking in persons remains a regional priority. During FY 2005, USG assistance programs developed, supported, and implemented the most comprehensive anti-trafficking effort in the Balkans. The USG focuses on the importance of prevention and awareness raising, reintegration and assistance services to victims of trafficking, and coordination efforts among local actors.
The USG-funded Transnational Action against Child Trafficking (TACT) initiative is implemented along five axes of intervention including prevention, protection, reintegration, assisted voluntary return, and coordination. A second program, The Albanian Initiative: Coordinated Action against Human Trafficking (CAAHT), provides coordination and technical support at the national and regional level to leverage existing anti-trafficking activities and strengthen the capacity of civil society to more effectively combat trafficking in Albania.
Both of the USG's anti-trafficking projects are working to address two critical challenges stemming from the Albanian environment. First, civil society is relatively young and weak, and Albanian NGOs still having difficulty implementing programs to address problems they recognize. Second, there are a large number of governmental divisions, NGOs and international agencies involved in providing direct assistance to victims of trafficking. They do not systematically share case information nor contribute to one consolidated database, which would allow dependable comparison of case-based victim profiles and data.
Two Democracy Commission Small Grants program grants improved the social status (through better employment) of Roma and "Egyptian" communities (Vlora) and raised awareness of youth and women at high risk for human trafficking. Seventeen "Egyptian" young women who received training found employment in Vlora. Due to the success of the project focusing on the Roma and "Egyptian" communities it is being replicated in Fier, and the public awareness campaign is being implemented nation-wide.
Foreign Military Funding (FMF): Albania is actively supporting U.S. operations in Iraq and NATO operations in Afghanistan and Bosnia with combat troops. U.S. FMF and the Defense Readiness Initiative (DRI) have been the foundations for these Albanian contributions. The Albanian Armed Forces (AAF), through the National Military Strategy, is making progress in its planned 10-year transition from a post-Communist force with extremely limited capabilities and dangerously outdated stockpiles of arms and ammunition to a modern, mobile military suitable for Albania's defense needs and future NATO membership. However, the GOA is financially strapped and unable to meet NATO standards or modernize without foreign advice and assistance. Due to FMF reductions, the mission was forced to reduce U.S. Defense Reform Advisors by 50 percent. However, Albania was allocated $6 million in U.S. Coalition Solidarity Fund (CSF), which provides equipment support and supplements GOA costs for deployments. The U.S. also provided Albania with $2M in Global Peacekeeping Operations Initiative (GPOI) funding, which is focused on building peacekeeping capacity thru Peace Keeping Operations training. Even with the additional funding, the AAF face significant challenges in their reform and modernization efforts designed to meet NATO standards.
International Military Education and Training (IMET): The New Chief of Navy is an IMET Graduate and the Defense Minister and Chief of General Staff are both actively seeking IMET graduates to fill key leadership positions in the AAF. In FY 2005, the USG trained 50 students in U.S. schools, sent four Mobile Training Teams to Albania that trained 125 personnel, delivered two 20-position audio active language labs, and provided $60,000 worth of English books and learning materials for the Albanian Armed Forces.
Nonproliferation, Anti-Terrorism, Demining and Related Programs (NADR): Approximately 1,400 hectares of Albania's northeastern border are contaminated by anti-personnel landmines laid by Serb military and paramilitary forces during the Kosovo conflict. The mines, mostly within 400 meters of the border, have had a serious humanitarian and economic impact on this impoverished and isolated region. A key goal of the USG is to have Albanians take on more of the mine-action program and to build a sustainable national capacity. The goal of the Albanian Mine Action Program (AMAP) is to rid the country of the effects of landmines and unexploded ordnance by 2006, by which time high- and medium-priority demining tasks are to be completed. The USG is the largest donor to the AMAP, contributing nearly $1.2 million in 2005 for mine clearance, victim assistance, and mine risk education. Danish Church Aid, now the only demining organization working in Albania, has been clearing mines with funding from the USG, Germany, the European Commission, and other donors.
Small Arms/Light Weapons (SA/LW): The AAF has a dangerous and ill-managed stockpile of approximately 100,000 tons of weapons and ammunition, 90 percent of which is 30 to 60-plus years old. Ammunition is stored at locations scattered throughout the country, sometimes in the immediate vicinity of residential housing, and storage and security practices are usually primitive. A large amount of weapons and ammunition was looted from military depots during civil unrest in 1997, much of which is believed to have passed through Albania's porous borders to the conflicts in Kosovo and Macedonia.
In fulfillment of a 2003 USG contract, the destruction of additional SA/LW was completed in 2005. A part of this funding was devoted to supporting a UK Embassy initiative to destroy 25,000 small arms/light weapons (the UK funded the disposal of 12,500 and the USG funded the disposal of the other 12,500) and up to 3,000 tons of ammunition.
NAMSA Ammunition Incineration Project: NAMSA is a NATO Partnership for Peace (PfP) Trust Fund project, which received USG funding. Under the terms of the PfP NATO Trust Fund, the Government of Canada proposed a four-year, US$7.6M project to develop further an indigenous ammunition demilitarization facility at Mjekes in central Albania. The project will eliminate 11,665 tons of Albania's excess ammunition, including 80 million rounds of small arms ammunition. A key component of this is an APE1236 Explosive Waste Incinerator (EWI), a U.S.-manufactured diesel-fueled rotary kiln incinerator, which became operational in September 2005, will destroy all ammunition up to 14.5mm.
Cooperative Threat Reduction (CTR) - Albania Chemical Weapons Destruction: USG assistance supports a project to destroy approximately 16 metric tons of chemical warfare agents in Albania. This constituted the first use of the President's National Defense Authorization Act authority to use CTR funding outside the Former Soviet Union. Destruction is scheduled to be completed in 2007.
MEASURES OF PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS
In order to determine how U.S. Government assistance affects a country, U.S. Embassies set targets for improvement called "performance indicators." Data for these indicators are collected by research institutes, embassies and international organizations. By examining data over time, U.S. policymakers better understand whether specific assistance programs are making their intended impact and, if necessary, how to adjust these programs to improve the impact.
Please find below an important indicator in the area of Security, Regional Stability and Law Enforcement. In the chart, the "Baseline" refers to a starting point from which to measure progress or regression over time. The Embassy and its partner organizations then agree on a "Target" figure that they hope to achieve as a result of U.S. assistance programs. The "Rank" figure is the resulting measurement. "FY" stands for "fiscal year," the period of the U.S. budget that runs from October 1 - September 30 of the following year. "CY" stands for "calendar year," covering events from January 1 - December 31 of the subject year or last calendar year.
Performance Indicator: Judicial Framework and Independence Rating. This indicator highlights constitutional reform, human rights protections, criminal code reform, judicial independence, the status of ethnic minority rights, guarantees of equality before the law, treatment of suspects and prisoners, and compliance with judicial decisions. (7-point scale: 1 is the highest, 7 is the lowest). Source: Freedom House, Nations in Transit 2005. This volume presents data collected during 2004. Found online: www.freedomhouse.org/research/nattransit.htm.
|
CY 2003 Baseline |
CY 2004 Rank |
CY 2005 Target |
CY 2005 Rank |
|
4.25 |
4.25 |
4.50 |
4.50 |
The rating for judiciary framework and independence fell from 4.25 to 4.50 owing to persistent failures to enforce judicial decisions and to the judiciary's continued functioning as a closed and unaccountable institution that remains susceptible to political influence. USG efforts focused on combating organized crime, enhancing police integrity and accountability, fighting trafficking in humans, narcotics, and other contraband and raising the professionalism and effectiveness of the Albanian State Police (ASP) by developing its information management capabilities. The development of laws, strategies, and plans to improve legal and judicial functioning is ongoing. USG legal assistance provided to the government helped ensure passage of good laws. However, full implementation remains lax.
Click for FY 2005 Funds Budgeted for U.S. Government Assistance to Albania [PDF format]
The Office of Electronic Information, Bureau of Public Affairs, manages this site as a portal for information from the U.S. State Department. External links to other Internet sites should not be construed as an endorsement of the views or privacy policies contained therein.