The International Institute for Middle-East and Balkan Studies (IFIMES) from Ljubljana, Slovenia, regularly analyses events in the Middle East and the Balkans. One year after the new government led by Prime Minister Edi Rama was elected in Albania, IFIMES has prepared an analysis of the current political situation in that country. The most relevant and interesting sections from the comprehensive analysis entitled “Albania: One step forward, two steps back” are published below.
Albania:
One step forward, two steps back
In mid-September 2014 Albania marked the first anniversary since the new government led by Prime Minister Edi Rama (PS) was formed. The election held on 23 June 2013 was won by the large coalition known as “Alliance for a European Albania” led by the Socialist Party (PS) and the Socialist Movement for Integration (LSI) of former Prime Minister Ilir Meta. LSI is a renegade political party formed by Ilir Meta who left the Socialist Party which was the coalition partner of the previous government led by Sali Berisha (PD), which has devastated Albania.
Edi Rama and his Socialist Party represent Albania of the next generation. During its first year in office Edi Rama's government has launched several reform processes, declared war against the urban mafia, and for the first time sent the police force to the village of Lazarat which was known for growing marijuana. In less than a week the police managed to conquer this “drug castle” that represented a true anti-state symbol. Subsequently, Albania was granted the candidate status for EU membership.
Although the analysts have pointed to some mistakes made during the past year, Edi Rama's government has shown that it is possible to work better and in the interest of all citizens of Albania.
With dynamite against urban mafia
Before taking over the office, Prime Minister Edi Rama organised a conference in end-August 2013 entitled “Next Generation Albania” where he invited renowned architects from all over the world to help create a vision of Albania's urban development. The campaign launched against illegal construction throughout Albanian territory and notably along the coast has already brought some results. The government has literally attacked the urban mafia with dynamite. Blowing up houses, palaces and grandiose hotels built without building permits is perhaps not the right solution for a country hoping to become an EU member state, but in a society where violation of law represents a way of life this seems to be the only possible way to bring an end to abuses of public areas.
Today, one year after the campaign, no one dares even think about building illegal constructions and usurping a public area before submitting the necessary documents to the competent institutions and obtaining the building permits. The dynamite has obviously achieved its purpose..............
- See more at: http://www.ifimes.org/en/8852#sthash.XeHkQrSa.dpuf
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