Editorial: Albanians pay the bill for the government’s whims

On Jan. 11, the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg ruled the Albanian government will have to compensate owners of a seaside apartment block in Vlora €14.2 million for demolishing the residence in December 2013 and violating property and human rights of 19 Albanian residents and an Italian citizen. Part of a trend of similar actions without giving proper compensation, the case shows the ongoing arbitrariness Albanian governments display when it comes to enforcing contracts and respecting human rights in Albania’s quarter of a century transition to democracy and a market economy. For starters, this fine is a major…