EM Albania: Nations in Transit - Freedom House report on Albania 2012

Nations in Transit 2012 is the 16th edition of Freedom House’s comprehensive, comparative study of democratic development in 29 countries from Central Europe to Eurasia.

It is the fifth consecutive year that European Movement in Albania (EMA) research staff works with Freedom House to produce this report. It analyzes the progress' level of Albania in terms of democratization in important areas such as: National Democratic Governance; Electoral Process; Civil Society; Independent Media; Local Democratic Governance; Judicial Framework and Independence; and Corruption, areas which are crucial to the fulfilment of the Copenhagen political criteria.

The overarching conclusion is that in the Balkans during 2011: “The EU continues to exert a positive influence in the western Balkans, with the prospect of EU accession arguably serving as the single greatest motivation for democratic reform in these countries. The candidacy process follows a series of formal steps that gauge the success of efforts to establish democratic institutions and a functioning market economy. However, despite public aspirations for integration, most reforms stagnated in the Balkans during 2011, with multiple declines in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, and Macedonia”.

To read the full report, please click here