Public Administration in Albania and the Process of European Integration

Abstract

A stable, efficient and accountable public administration, in Albania, is a sine qua non for the proper functioning of the institutions, observance of the rule of law, protection of individual rights of the Albanian citizens, while serving their interests at the highest possible degree and paving the road for ever closer relations between the European Union and Albania and the latter ultimate successful membership. For more than two decades, Albania has striven unsuccessfully to build a proficient public administration. Short term political gains and corruption have kept public administration rather weak, with limited administrative capacity, high levels of politicisation and a lack of transparency, unable to promptly and timely serve citizens’ needs. The last attempt to consensually adopt a firm legal framework of substantial guarantees for civil servants was succumbed in the last minute to political intervention aimed at accommodating activists’ demands for employment. If Albania is to consolidate an unbiased and professional public administration, its political establishment must make a real commitment to refrain from political interference and to fully implement a truly consensual and all-inclusive legal and institutional reform with genuine guarantees for a transparent, merit and efficacy based system of recruitment, career and performance of civil service. Changes in the system of elections, improvement of business climate, as well as enlargement of market freedoms and individual opportunities definitely help lowering the pressure for a secure and unmerited job in the public service.

DOI: 10.5901/ajis.2015.v4n2s2p300