The Congress organised two roundtables in Fier and Lezha, on 27 and 28 April 2016, to consult with the Albanian Mayors, Heads of the Region and local governance associations on the preparation of a draft Council of Ministers’ decree establishing the Local and Central Government Council following the enactment of Law No. 139/2015. Seventeen Municipalities and eight regions directly contributed to these initial consultations. The Congress supports consultation as a vital feature of the decentralisation process in Albania. Congress member Majlinda Bufi (Albania, SOC) shared the lessons learnt from a study visit organised within the project in Latvia. By making reference to the structure of the Latvian national association, its role in advocacy and in budgetary negotiations, she stressed the importance of jointly addressing the central government and of setting-up constructive dialogue between stakeholders to enable effective local democracy and decentralisation. She noted that Based on outcomes of the roundtables, the Congress will submit a draft decree to the government of Albania on 9 May 2016.
Projects in Albania
Since joining the Council of Europe in 1995 and ratifying the European Charter of Local Self-Government in 2000, Albania has undertaken a series of ambitious reforms to strengthen local self-government. A key milestone was the 2015 Territorial Administrative Reform (Law 115/2015), which consolidated 373 local authorities into 61 municipalities, restructuring local governance with administrative units as functional components.
Building on the findings of the 2021 Congress monitoring report - which underscored the need for greater financial resources and deeper decentralisation - Albania developed its 2023–2030 decentralisation strategy, emphasising sustainable development, digital governance, financial autonomy, and democratic participation.
Ongoing projects in Albania
Advancing Local Governance and Civic Engagement through Institutional Reform in Albania - ALGORA
The ALGORA project aims to support Albania’s public administration reform by enhancing multilevel governance, strengthening institutional capacities, and promoting participatory governance practices at local level, in line with European standards.
Strengthening innovative democracy in South-East Europe
The project aims at enhancing local democracy and promoting more transparent and inclusive local public institutions in South-East Europe, building on increased awareness and evident demand in the region for more deliberative and participative democracy. It focuses on strengthening capacities of local authorities, piloting Citizens’ Assemblies, and improving legal frameworks to embed participatory and deliberative processes as complement to representative democracy in Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia.
*All references to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nation's Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.
Contact
Head of the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance
Completed projects in Albania
Strengthening Local Government Structures in Albania" (2017-2019)
Aim of the project was to strengthen the local government structures in Albania through standard setting and capacitated administration on good governance principles.
Sustaining Public Administration Reform at Local Level in Albania (2022-2025)
The project supports Public Administration Reform by strengthening the institutional framework for the training and development of local officials and elected representatives. It promotes good democratic governance by enhancing the capacity of Local Government Units to manage human resources effectively and in line with national legislation. Based on Council of Europe standards, the project provides legal and policy advice and delivers capacity-building activities using adapted European best practices and tools from the Centre of Expertise for Multilevel Governance.
Promoting deliberative democracy and innovative approaches to citizen participation in South-East Europe (2024-2025)
Focused on Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo*, Montenegro, North Macedonia, and Serbia, the project seeks to advance deliberative democracy as an innovative approach to citizen participation in local decision-making, complementing representative democracy; and develop the skills and capacities of local authorities and their associations in organising effective deliberative processes.
*All references to Kosovo, whether the territory, institutions or population, in this text shall be understood in full compliance with United Nation's Security Council Resolution 1244 and without prejudice to the status of Kosovo.