Freedom House report, Albania remains: “Hybrid Regime”

The point evaluation system starts from 1 to 7, and for Albania it is the same as the past year, 4.14. This stagnation is due to the improvement of the electoral system on one hand, but the lower points for the independent media on the other. As explained by the Director of the “Transitional Countries” Project, Nate Schenkkan, this can be noticed in other countries too, not only Balkan.

Schenkkan says thait is about a very harsh and intensive political rivalry between parties. He says this rivalry goes beyond the borders of a normal competition, which might take the attention away from institutional reforms; from the justice system improvement, fight against corruption and informal economy.

“When reaching an extreme point of conflict, politics undermines the possibility to push forward the reforms which the entire society so much needs”, he reasons by adding that stagnation in Albania might bring more consequences, while corruption has entered deep.

“Corruption in Albania is the most negative indicator based on the measurements that we make in seven different directions. This goes for almost all countries of the region. It is a fact that the most difficult fight for the countries of the region is the one against corruption”, says Nate Schenkkan, Director of the “Transitional Countries” Project.

Although the chapter of the report for Albania is not final yet, and for this reason it has not been published or shared with the media, Mr.Schenkkan says that 2015 saw the approval of a series of reforms, laws and commitments for reforms, such as the justice reform.

But he says that for 2016, 2017 and later, the question is if these reforms will be implemented. He explains that Freedom House is careful when it makes an evaluation, negative or positive one, and is not supported only on the approval of laws.

However, same as in other Balkan countries, Albania is in the same level of 2004.

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