STRUCTURAL REFORMS IN ALBANIA: POLITICAL AND LEGAL CHALLENGES IN THE FRAMEWORK OF EU INTEGRATION
1. Introduction. – 2. Literature Review. – 3. Methodology. – 4. The Efficiency of the EU Role in the Adoption of Structural Reforms. – 4.1. Public Perception and Political Will. – 4.2. The Public Administration and Justice Reform. – 5. Conclusion.
Background:
Since the fall of the communist regime, Albanian foreign policy has focused mostly on democratic consolidation but continues to be classified as a hybrid democracy, even as it has made steady progress toward liberal democratic progress and European integration. Both the Albanian population and political elite welcome and encourage the integration process, with the prospect of EU membership transforming the European Union into a powerful force for democracy, driving structural changes, and affecting the rule of law. However, a combination of internal and external obstacles has influenced the process. Using the adoption of the justice and public administration reform, the internal political debate and public sentiments on the integration process, the article explores Albanian political representatives and institutions' complex relationship with the EU. The article underlines the role of EU conditionality and contribution in the adoption of the crucial reforms and the diffusion of EU values in the face of major hostilities between Albanian political forces. While external incentive models offer a valuable framework for comprehending the Albanian Europeanization process, it is essential to consider additional factors that may influence and promote democratisation and adoption of essential reforms.
Methods:
This article uses a case-study approach to analyse the adoption and implementation of reforms in Albania. While Albania is an interesting case study, it is often analysed as part of the EU foreign policy in the Western Balkans. The findings of this paper are expected to be relatively limited in their applicability to similar cases, i.e., small transition countries aiming to fulfil the EU accession criteria.
Political and societal perceptions of EU integration, including time-series analysis, public opinion surveys and political narratives have been discussed and compared with relevant EU reports, reform strategies, and theoretical models on conditionality. Insights into their implementation were uncovered through a systematic content analysis approach.
Results and Conclusions:
The Albanian example shows the influence and restrictions of EU conditionality. More general lessons include the requirement to constantly engage in support of long-term reform implementation and the need to customise conditionality to the political and institutional setting of candidate countries. The long-term sustainability of the reforms in Albania depends on several aspects, such as political will, internal institutional independence, and public trust.
Since the fall of the communist regime, Albanian foreign policy has focused mostly on democratic consolidation but continues to be classified as a hybrid democracy, even as it has made steady progress toward liberal democratic progress and European integration. Both the Albanian population and political elite welcome and encourage the integration process, with the prospect of EU membership transforming the European Union into a powerful force for democracy, driving structural changes, and affecting the rule of law. However, a combination of internal and external obstacles has influenced the process. Using the adoption of the justice and public administration reform, the internal political debate and public sentiments on the integration process, the article explores Albanian political representatives and institutions' complex relationship with the EU. The article underlines the role of EU conditionality and contribution in the adoption of the crucial reforms and the diffusion of EU values in the face of major hostilities between Albanian political forces. While external incentive models offer a valuable framework for comprehending the Albanian Europeanization process, it is essential to consider additional factors that may influence and promote democratisation and adoption of essential reforms.
Methods:
This article uses a case-study approach to analyse the adoption and implementation of reforms in Albania. While Albania is an interesting case study, it is often analysed as part of the EU foreign policy in the Western Balkans. The findings of this paper are expected to be relatively limited in their applicability to similar cases, i.e., small transition countries aiming to fulfil the EU accession criteria.
Political and societal perceptions of EU integration, including time-series analysis, public opinion surveys and political narratives have been discussed and compared with relevant EU reports, reform strategies, and theoretical models on conditionality. Insights into their implementation were uncovered through a systematic content analysis approach.
Results and Conclusions:
The Albanian example shows the influence and restrictions of EU conditionality. More general lessons include the requirement to constantly engage in support of long-term reform implementation and the need to customise conditionality to the political and institutional setting of candidate countries. The long-term sustainability of the reforms in Albania depends on several aspects, such as political will, internal institutional independence, and public trust.
Abstract
Background:
Since the fall of the communist regime, Albanian foreign policy has focused mostly on democratic consolidation but continues to be classified as a hybrid democracy, even as it has made steady progress toward liberal democratic progress and European integration. Both the Albanian population and political elite welcome and encourage the integration process, with the prospect of EU membership transforming the European Union into a powerful force for democracy, driving structural changes, and affecting the rule of law. However, a combination of internal and external obstacles has influenced the process. Using the adoption of the justice and public administration reform, the internal political debate and public sentiments on the integration process, the article explores Albanian political representatives and institutions' complex relationship with the EU. The article underlines the role of EU conditionality and contribution in the adoption of the crucial reforms and the diffusion of EU values in the face of major hostilities between Albanian political forces. While external incentive models offer a valuable framework for comprehending the Albanian Europeanization process, it is essential to consider additional factors that may influence and promote democratisation and adoption of essential reforms.
Methods:
This article uses a case-study approach to analyse the adoption and implementation of reforms in Albania. While Albania is an interesting case study, it is often analysed as part of the EU foreign policy in the Western Balkans. The findings of this paper are expected to be relatively limited in their applicability to similar cases, i.e., small transition countries aiming to fulfil the EU accession criteria.
Political and societal perceptions of EU integration, including time-series analysis, public opinion surveys and political narratives have been discussed and compared with relevant EU reports, reform strategies, and theoretical models on conditionality. Insights into their implementation were uncovered through a systematic content analysis approach.
Results and Conclusions:
The Albanian example shows the influence and restrictions of EU conditionality. More general lessons include the requirement to constantly engage in support of long-term reform implementation and the need to customise conditionality to the political and institutional setting of candidate countries. The long-term sustainability of the reforms in Albania depends on several aspects, such as political will, internal institutional independence, and public trust.
Since the fall of the communist regime, Albanian foreign policy has focused mostly on democratic consolidation but continues to be classified as a hybrid democracy, even as it has made steady progress toward liberal democratic progress and European integration. Both the Albanian population and political elite welcome and encourage the integration process, with the prospect of EU membership transforming the European Union into a powerful force for democracy, driving structural changes, and affecting the rule of law. However, a combination of internal and external obstacles has influenced the process. Using the adoption of the justice and public administration reform, the internal political debate and public sentiments on the integration process, the article explores Albanian political representatives and institutions' complex relationship with the EU. The article underlines the role of EU conditionality and contribution in the adoption of the crucial reforms and the diffusion of EU values in the face of major hostilities between Albanian political forces. While external incentive models offer a valuable framework for comprehending the Albanian Europeanization process, it is essential to consider additional factors that may influence and promote democratisation and adoption of essential reforms.
Methods:
This article uses a case-study approach to analyse the adoption and implementation of reforms in Albania. While Albania is an interesting case study, it is often analysed as part of the EU foreign policy in the Western Balkans. The findings of this paper are expected to be relatively limited in their applicability to similar cases, i.e., small transition countries aiming to fulfil the EU accession criteria.
Political and societal perceptions of EU integration, including time-series analysis, public opinion surveys and political narratives have been discussed and compared with relevant EU reports, reform strategies, and theoretical models on conditionality. Insights into their implementation were uncovered through a systematic content analysis approach.
Results and Conclusions:
The Albanian example shows the influence and restrictions of EU conditionality. More general lessons include the requirement to constantly engage in support of long-term reform implementation and the need to customise conditionality to the political and institutional setting of candidate countries. The long-term sustainability of the reforms in Albania depends on several aspects, such as political will, internal institutional independence, and public trust.
About Authors
Meljana Bregu
Ph.D. (International Relations), Lecturer, Faculty of History and Philology, Department of History, University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
meljana.bregu@unitir.edu.al
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3633-9693
Corresponding author, responsible for conceptualization, writing – original draft, visualization and writing – review & editing.
Juliana Gjinko
Ph.D. (History), Lecturer, Lecturer, Faculty of History and Philology, Department of History, University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
juliana.marko@unitir.edu.al
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8133-0826
Co-author, responsible for conceptualization, methodology, resources, formal analysis and writing – review & editing.
Competing interests: No competing interests were disclosed.
Disclaimer: The authors declare that their opinion and views expressed in this manuscript are free of any impact of any organizations.
Copyright: © 2025 Meljana Bregu and Juliana Gjinko. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Ph.D. (International Relations), Lecturer, Faculty of History and Philology, Department of History, University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
meljana.bregu@unitir.edu.al
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3633-9693
Corresponding author, responsible for conceptualization, writing – original draft, visualization and writing – review & editing.
Juliana Gjinko
Ph.D. (History), Lecturer, Lecturer, Faculty of History and Philology, Department of History, University of Tirana, Tirana, Albania
juliana.marko@unitir.edu.al
https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8133-0826
Co-author, responsible for conceptualization, methodology, resources, formal analysis and writing – review & editing.
Competing interests: No competing interests were disclosed.
Disclaimer: The authors declare that their opinion and views expressed in this manuscript are free of any impact of any organizations.
Copyright: © 2025 Meljana Bregu and Juliana Gjinko. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, (CC BY 4.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
References
1. Anastasakis O, ‘The Europeanization of the Balkans’ (2005) 12(1) The Brown Journal of World Affairs 77.
2. Anastasi A, ‘The Albanian Justice Reform in the Framework of the European Integration Process’ (2021) 2 Euro-Balkan Law and Economics Review 1, doi:10.15162/ 2612-6583/1317.
3. Benson J, ‘Democracy and the Epistemic Problems of Political Polarization’ (2024) 118(4) American Political Science Review 1719, doi:10.1017/s0003055423001089.
4. Böhmelt T and Freyburg T, ‘The Temporal Dimension of the Credibility of EU Conditionality and Candidate States’ Compliance with the Acquis Communautaire, 1998-2009’ (2012) 14(2) European Union Politics 250, doi:10.1177/1465116512458164.
5. Borba J, Aparecido E and Ribeiro MF, ‘Polarization and Ideology: Exploring the Contextual Nature of Democratic Commitment’ (2024) 32 Revista de Sociologia e Política 112, doi:10.1590/1678-98732432e006.
6. Brusis M, ‘The Conditional Impact of Democracy Conditions. How the European Union Interacts with Political Competition in Eastern Partnership Countries? (2017) 62(1) Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai: Studia Europaea 141.
7. Elbasani A, European Integration and Transformation in the Western Balkans: Europeanization or Business as usual? (Routledge 2013).
8. Gawrich A and Wydra D, ‘Conditions and Contestation: Ukraine on Its Way to EUMembership’ in Wiesner C and Knodt M (eds), The War Against Ukraine and the EU (Palgrave Macmillan, Cham 2024) 161, doi:10.1007/978-3-031-35040-5_8.
9. Hackaj A, EU Enlargement in SEE6 and Country Reforms: The Justice Reform in Albania as a Case Study (Cooperation Development Institute 2020) 34.
10. Hajdini B and Skara G, ‘The Role of Information and Communication Technology in Fighting Corruption in the Judiciary System: The Case of 2016 Judicial Reform in Albania’ (2022) 8(3) Journal of Legal and International Affairs 115, doi:10.47305/ JLIA2283115h%20.
11. Hallunaj M and Strati N, Public Perceptions Towards European Integration, Influence of External Actors and Government Performance in Albania (Kosovar Center for Security Studies 2023).
12. Hoxhaj A, ‘The EU Rule of Law Initiative Towards the Western Balkans’ (2021) 13 Hague J Rule Law, 143, doi.org/10.1007/s40803-020-00148-w. 13. Ivanov Z, ‘The EU – Balkans Enlargement Process Deadlock: The Role of Perceptions, Stabilitocracy, and Recommendations’ (2023) 24 Uluslararası Suçlar Ve Tarih 131, doi:10.54842/ustich.1315682.
14. Juncos AE, ‘Power Discourses and Power Practices: The EU's Role as a Normative Power in Bosnia’ in Whitman RG (ed), Normative Power Europe: Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives (Palgrave Macmillan 2011) 83, doi:10.1057/9780230305601_5.
15. Kalemaj I, Public Perception of the EU in Albania (Albanian Media Institute 2022).
16. Kmezić M, ‘Recalibrating the EU’s Approach to the Western Balkans’ (2020) 19(1) European View 54, doi:10.1177/1781685820913655.
17. Knežević Bojović A and Ćorić V, ‘Challenges of Rule of Law Conditionality in EU Accession’ (2023) 7(1) Bratislava Law Review 41, doi:10.46282/blr.2023.7.1.327.
18. Lemstra M, The Destructive Effects of State Capture in the Western Balkans: EU enlargement undermined (EU Council Library Think Tank Review, 2020) 41
2. Anastasi A, ‘The Albanian Justice Reform in the Framework of the European Integration Process’ (2021) 2 Euro-Balkan Law and Economics Review 1, doi:10.15162/ 2612-6583/1317.
3. Benson J, ‘Democracy and the Epistemic Problems of Political Polarization’ (2024) 118(4) American Political Science Review 1719, doi:10.1017/s0003055423001089.
4. Böhmelt T and Freyburg T, ‘The Temporal Dimension of the Credibility of EU Conditionality and Candidate States’ Compliance with the Acquis Communautaire, 1998-2009’ (2012) 14(2) European Union Politics 250, doi:10.1177/1465116512458164.
5. Borba J, Aparecido E and Ribeiro MF, ‘Polarization and Ideology: Exploring the Contextual Nature of Democratic Commitment’ (2024) 32 Revista de Sociologia e Política 112, doi:10.1590/1678-98732432e006.
6. Brusis M, ‘The Conditional Impact of Democracy Conditions. How the European Union Interacts with Political Competition in Eastern Partnership Countries? (2017) 62(1) Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai: Studia Europaea 141.
7. Elbasani A, European Integration and Transformation in the Western Balkans: Europeanization or Business as usual? (Routledge 2013).
8. Gawrich A and Wydra D, ‘Conditions and Contestation: Ukraine on Its Way to EUMembership’ in Wiesner C and Knodt M (eds), The War Against Ukraine and the EU (Palgrave Macmillan, Cham 2024) 161, doi:10.1007/978-3-031-35040-5_8.
9. Hackaj A, EU Enlargement in SEE6 and Country Reforms: The Justice Reform in Albania as a Case Study (Cooperation Development Institute 2020) 34.
10. Hajdini B and Skara G, ‘The Role of Information and Communication Technology in Fighting Corruption in the Judiciary System: The Case of 2016 Judicial Reform in Albania’ (2022) 8(3) Journal of Legal and International Affairs 115, doi:10.47305/ JLIA2283115h%20.
11. Hallunaj M and Strati N, Public Perceptions Towards European Integration, Influence of External Actors and Government Performance in Albania (Kosovar Center for Security Studies 2023).
12. Hoxhaj A, ‘The EU Rule of Law Initiative Towards the Western Balkans’ (2021) 13 Hague J Rule Law, 143, doi.org/10.1007/s40803-020-00148-w. 13. Ivanov Z, ‘The EU – Balkans Enlargement Process Deadlock: The Role of Perceptions, Stabilitocracy, and Recommendations’ (2023) 24 Uluslararası Suçlar Ve Tarih 131, doi:10.54842/ustich.1315682.
14. Juncos AE, ‘Power Discourses and Power Practices: The EU's Role as a Normative Power in Bosnia’ in Whitman RG (ed), Normative Power Europe: Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives (Palgrave Macmillan 2011) 83, doi:10.1057/9780230305601_5.
15. Kalemaj I, Public Perception of the EU in Albania (Albanian Media Institute 2022).
16. Kmezić M, ‘Recalibrating the EU’s Approach to the Western Balkans’ (2020) 19(1) European View 54, doi:10.1177/1781685820913655.
17. Knežević Bojović A and Ćorić V, ‘Challenges of Rule of Law Conditionality in EU Accession’ (2023) 7(1) Bratislava Law Review 41, doi:10.46282/blr.2023.7.1.327.
18. Lemstra M, The Destructive Effects of State Capture in the Western Balkans: EU enlargement undermined (EU Council Library Think Tank Review, 2020) 41
Reviews for article
Add a Review
Publication history
-
Date of submission: 12 Jan 2025
Date of acceptance: 07 Feb 2025
Date of publication: 15 Feb 2025
Whether the manuscript was fast tracked? - Yes
Number of reviewer report submitted in first round: 2 reports Number of revision rounds: 1 round with major revisionsTechnical tools were used in the editorial process:
Plagiarism checks - Turnitin from iThenticate https://www.turnitin.com/products/ithenticate/ Scholastica for Peer Review https://scholasticahq.com/law-reviews
How to cite it?
-
Bregu M and Gjinko J, ‘Structural Reforms in Albania: Political and Legal Challenges in the Framework of EU Integration’ (2025) 8(1) Access to Justice in Eastern Europe 417-37 <https://doi.org/10.33327/AJEE-18-8.1-r000121>
