English

Albanian

“Albania and the European Union:

European Integration and the Prospect of Accession”

Tirana 2004

Pages: 280

Bilingual: English - Albanian

ISBN 99927-720-6-9

The book is written by Dr. Mirela Bogdani and Prof. John Loughlin, the former an alumnus and a researcher and lecturer, and the latter Professor of European Politics, both of Cardiff University, School of European Studies (UK).

The book focuses on the processes of transition and democratization of Albania and its efforts towards joining the EU. It analyses this by giving a picture of current political, economic and social situation of Albania. The authors argue that since 1990 Albania has been traveling an evolutionary path from an isolated authoritarian political system towards liberal democracy. This "dual transformation" has combined political democratization (from dictatorship to pluralist democracy) and economic transformation (from central planning to a market economy). However, democracy in Albania is fragile, meaning that the country still faces a difficult political and socio-economic situation, typical of a country undergoing transition after a long period of communism. The authors argue that this situation, among many factors, has been caused principally by poor, incompetent and irresponsible political leadership and governments.

The book subsequently focuses on the issue of accession to the EU, as a main priority for Albania, through a gradual process of economic, political, institutional integration and convergence. Albania is scheduled to join the EU in the next waves of enlargement within the regional framework of the Western Balkans, known as the “Stabilisation and Association Process”.  To be able to achieve entry, Albania has to meet the "Copenhagen criteria", from which it is still a long way off. The authors argue, however, that the EU is the greatest guarantee for democratization and progress in Albania. First, the prospect of EU membership is a strong incentive and a powerful driving force for carrying out domestic reforms. Second, the EU is committed to help Albania and bring her closer to the international democratic community (reflected in the concrete process of SAP and SAA). Third, the EU is the main provider of multilateral assistance to Albania  (through CARDS). In the book are also analyzed the domestic actors, the Albanian elite, the public, and their role in the process of democratization and accession. In the conclusion, it is argued that both pressures, the external from the EU and other international organizations, as well as the internal from the domestic elite and national public who are interested in progress and EU membership, probably will help Albania to achieve the goal of accession. The authors believe that the help and support of external actors is important and necessary, but the reforms and all steps for a successful integration process should be firstly a responsibility of the domestic actors, mainly of the political class.

Preface by Prof. Paskal MILO, Member of Albanian Parliament

It is very welcome that the question of the accession of Albania into the EU is now the subject of study in excellent European academic circles such as the “School of European Studies”, Cardiff University (UK). In Albania, this very important and topical issue is of vital interest for the future of Albanians but, unfortunately, has become much politicized. As a result, Albanians, caught between the different party political positions and the arguments between the opposition and the government, often find it difficult to see clearly and to understand the essential issues.

Dr. Mirela Bogdani and Professor John Loughlin, being outside this politically-charged environment, present a modern, scientific and European approach to this issue in their very valuable book. They adopt an objective and realistic attitude in describing the ongoing process of European integration and in analyzing the nature and the challenges facing the Albanian political system. This approach also informs their conclusions with regard to the future progress of Albania joining the European Union. I have had the pleasure of discussing European issues and the European Integration of Albania several times with Dr. Bogdani and appreciated her grasp of these questions.

When will Albania join the EU? Will the prospect of obtaining this objective help Albania to achieve prosperity, stability and democracy? Will the conditions and obligations of EU membership encourage or force Albanian governments and politicians to commit themselves seriously to tackle and solve domestic problems by introducing and implementing the reforms necessary to prepare the country for accession? The book addresses these questions by identifying and analyzing the problems and challenges of transition, the political, economic and social transformations, the process of policy-making in Albania, the external and internal factors, the nature and role of the national actors and the elite, as well as the process of association and integration of Albania into the EU within the regional framework of the Western Balkans. The authors argue that the prospect of joining the EU is the greatest guarantee and the most powerful stimulus for democratization and progress in Albania and that the EU, because of the political conditionality attached to financial aid, will have a considerable and positive impact on domestic reforms and transformations. Will pressures, both from outside (the EU and the other international organizations) and from inside (the aspirations of the Albanian people and elite to be politically part of Europe, and not just geographically as they already are), encourage and help Albania to achieve the objective of joining the EU? The authors stress that the help and influence of external factors is important and necessary, but the reforms and all steps for a successful integration process should be firstly the responsibility of the domestic actors, mainly of the political class.

The book is based on a rich bibliography, books and studies, information, articles and analyses from the printed and electronic media (Albanian and foreign), official reports and documents from international organizations, as well as live interviews with senior Albanian officials, politicians and representatives from civil society. The long experience of Dr. Bogdani in Albanian public administration (working as a senior civil servant) and her involvement for some years in Albanian politics have also been of great help. Professor Loughlin, widely experienced as an analyst of European affairs, and a Vice-President of the Committee of Experts on Local Autonomy of the Council of Europe, brings an important academic perspective to the analysis.

The book is an important contribution to the Albanian and foreign literature on European issues for three reasons: firstly, as a useful addition to the growing literature on the relations between the EU and the former communist states. Albania is one of the countries that is least studied in this literature and one of the largely “unexplored areas”, unlike other former communist East and Central European countries. Secondly, the book focuses on a topic, which is not just contemporary, but also a priority issue for Albania, since the whole of its domestic and foreign policy converges around the goal of integration into the Euro-Atlantic system. Thirdly, it is an addition, from an academic point of view, to the Albanian literature in the areas of transit logy, democracy and governance, European issues and European integration.

The book may well be of interest to a broad Albanian audience, such as academics, scholars and students from the political and social sciences, but also civil servants and government officials, politicians, think-tanks and research institutes, NGO’s, international organizations that operate in Albania, as well as for the Albanian public in general. At the same time, the book may be useful for foreign scholars, whose interest is in the issues of transition, transformation and democratization of former communist states in Eastern Europe, in studies of comparative politics and EU enlargement, for scholars with interest in Albanian studies, as well as for officials and people who are interested in Albanian issues.

In particular this book will be a valuable contribution coming from an academic Albanian-British co-operation, which reflects that kind of collaborative atmosphere that Albania will have in the future in all areas when it will be a member with full rights in the European Union.

CONTENTS

About the authors                                               

Acknowledgements

Glossary of abbreviations used

Preface

Chapter 1: European Integration and the Transformations of the Democratic State

1.1. The Nation State and the development of European Union                            

1.2. Opening of Albania to the West

Chapter 2: EU membership prospective for the countries of Western Balkans and Albania        

2.1. The importance of European integration for the Western Balkans and Albania

2.2. The EU membership criteria (Copenhagen criteria)

2.3. History of Albanian's European integration efforts

Chapter 3: The transition period: political and socio-economic situation of Albania. How far is Albania from meeting the Copenhagen criteria?                           

3.1. Democratic transformation in Albania

3.2. Political situation

3.3. Economic situation

3.4. Social situation

3.5. How far is Albania from meeting the criteria?

Chapter 4: Policy making in Albania                                                                      

4.1. Components of policy-making

4.2. What type of policy-making has Albania?

Chapter 5: The role of the elite and domestic actors                                               

5.1. The domestic actors and the concept of elites

5.2. The political elite

5.3. The bureaucratic elite

5.4. Knowledge elites

5.5. Civil society

5.6. Media

5.7. Masses and public opinion

Chapter 6: How have EU programmes contributed to domestic reforms and development?

6.1. EU programmes in the past

6.2. Current EU programmes, the CARDS programme

Chapter 7: The impact of external forces on Albanian politics and policies                     

7.1. The impact of the EU and Europeanization

7.2. Globalization

7.3. The influence of the CEE accession countries

7.4. Impact of the other Western Balkans countries

7.5. Regional co-operation and Albania’s attitude to geo-politics and the war against terrorism

Conclusion

List of Interviewees

Bibliography