Albania: Poised For Progress INTL 510Briefer: Stephanie Morrison

[File Name or Event] • Emerson Confidential • 05/02/2023 • Slide 2

Albania: Executive Summary

• Likely to remain stable (12-24 mo)• 2014: Achieved “Candidacy” stage

in bid for European Union membership

• 2013: Socialist party in power• Economy slow, but improving• Potentially destabilizing influences:

– Serbia objection to Albanian support of Kosovo independence

– Undeveloped country infrastructure– Corruption and organized crime

[File Name or Event] • Emerson Confidential • 05/02/2023 • Slide 3

Stabilizers: NATO Membership

• 2009: NATO membership granted

• 2014: Gateway to European Union membership

• Instrument for social and economic development

• Provides political and civilian stability

• Estimate: 10 years for Albanian ascension into (EU)

[File Name or Event] • Emerson Confidential • 05/02/2023 • Slide 4

Stabilizers: Governmental & Judicial Reform

• 2013: Socialist Party re-establishes power over Democratic Party

• Engaged with “Venice Commission” to enhance Albanian Judicial System

• EU commission cites “reform of judiciary” and “fight against corruption and organized crime”

• National Anti-corruption coordinator appointed

• Major reforms in public administration, policy development

Socialists Democrats

[File Name or Event] • Emerson Confidential • 05/02/2023 • Slide 5

Albanian Natural Resources• Significant diversity of

natural resources in relatively small country

• Limited infrastructure and poor coordination prevent monetization

• Petroleum• Natural Gus• Hydropower• Bauxite• Chromite• Copper

• Nickel• Salt• Timber• Coal• Iron

[File Name or Event] • Emerson Confidential • 05/02/2023 • Slide 6

Albanian Geography• 312km of Western coastline from

Ionian to Adriatic seas• Defensive mountainous borders

to the North, South and East• Coastal Plains with seasonal

flooding and droughts• Strait of Otranto presents easy

waterborne access by drug traffickers and potential security threats

[File Name or Event] • Emerson Confidential • 05/02/2023 • Slide 7

Threats: Organized Crime• Ranked #3 in 2014• Improvement over

2012 when Albania ranked #1 most corrupt country in Europe

#3: “Corruption is a serious issue in Albania. Politicians

blame each other for the current state of affairs. With

the current level of corruption, economic growth would be a major challenge.”

[File Name or Event] • Emerson Confidential • 05/02/2023 • Slide 8

Threats: Corruption• Albanian political will to fight

corruption• Appointment of National

Anti- Corruption Coordinator• Legal amendments adopted

to address offences• Albania’s Transparency

International Corruption Perception Index (2013) score = 31

[File Name or Event] • Emerson Confidential • 05/02/2023 • Slide 9

Relations with Serbia• First meeting in 68 yrs. with

Serbian Prime Minister Vucic and Edi Rama

• Willingness to improve bilateral relations

• Use EU process as a common denominator for both countries interests

• Albania acting as a constructive regional partner

Historic meeting between Edi Rama, Prime Minister of Albania (left) with Serbian Prime Minister Vucic in Belgrade.

[File Name or Event] • Emerson Confidential • 05/02/2023 • Slide 10

Conclusion:

• Albania will likely remain stable in the next 24 months• Albania only NATO member in the Western Balkans,

granted candidate status by European Union (EU)• Major reform processes, policy development enacted in

all areas of government• Economy and environment improving slowly, despite

poor infrastructure • Corruption and Organized crime a major problem

(per EU report - October 2014)• Relations with Serbia – Cooperative communication• Overall country outlook – Positive

[File Name or Event] • Emerson Confidential • 05/02/2023 • Slide 11

Briefer: Stephanie Morrison

sbmorrison@austin.rr.com

[File Name or Event] • Emerson Confidential • 05/02/2023 • Slide 12

Graphic Sources:

Slide 1: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_AlbaniaSlide 2: http://albaniantourism.files.wordpress.com/2012/07/how_to_get_to_albania.gif?w=269Slide 3:http://www.prlog.org/10224090-albania-joins-nato-albania-real-estate-property-investment-advantages.htmlSlide 4: https://onceuponatimeinthewest1.wordpress.com/page/44/Slide 5: http://www.axpo.com/axpo/ch/en/medien/fotos/hydroenergie.htmlhttp://www.shutterstock.com/s/mining+truck/search.html?page=3&thumb_size=mosaichttp://www.shutterstock.com/s/hydrocarbon/search.html?page=3&thumb_size=mosaichttp://beahrselp.berkeley.edu/thematic/climate-change-and-renewable-energy/Slide 6: http://www.zonu.com/Europe/Albania/Physical_en.htmlSlide 7: http://www.richestlifestyle.com/top-10-most-corrupt-countries-in-europe/http://www.unodc.org/documents/data-and-analysis/statistics/corruption/Albania_Business_Corruption_2013_EN.pdfhttp://www.ucpress.edu/book.php?isbn=9780520282810Slide 8: http://www.transparency.org/countrySlide 9: http://www.tanjug.rs/news/152875/vucic--rama-face-to-face-meeting-begins.htm