Albania’s foreign policies unlikely to see major change, but the country must play a more active constructive role in the region.
TIRANA TIMES EDITORIAL
Albania’s new government will take office in the next few days, marking a series of priorities in the country’s management. Beyond strategic goals that transcend the change in government – such as European integration – it appears the new Socialist-led government will focus on some new priorities in the early days of its mandate.
The new prime minister, Edi Rama, has already set urban, rural and coastline planing as a key priority, looking to stop and reverse illegal construction that has chocked much of the country and stifles its potential.
There has been some debate as to why Rama has set territorial management as the first priority. But it is somethings that Albania indeed needs for political, economic and societal reasons.
Albert Rakipi, executive director at the Albanian Institute for International Studies, sees it as important for two reasons : First, establishing control over how land is used is an urgent need in a place where the anarchy of construction without proper planing dominates, especially in areas that have the potential of economic development and where there are are dire environmental concerns. Second, he says, in essence, setting control on the territory actually is an indication of bringing back the state into an equation where it has been missing for too long.
That’s because the only way you can fully enforce proper planing is to strengthen the rule of law and, in turn, the state.
And territorial planing is not alone. The education system is another issue where the state needs to step back in, because as it stands now corruption and greed is destroying the system.
While we wish the new administration the best on its efforts to enforce better territorial planing as part of a greater wish of strengthening the state, progress will be tough and only time will tell how successful the new government will be.
Another important factor in the new government’s work will be its foreign policy. Rakipi says changes in the foreign policy of Albania won’t be likely. “I believe the changes will be in style rather than in substance.” he says.
In international relations the two major political forces in Albania have similar programs and thus a change of hands in governance is unlikely to produce changes in foreign relations. But Rakipi points out that some changes may occur in regional policies.
“Often the idea that Albania plays a constructive role in the region has been interpreted as Albania doing nothing or simply supportong the West’s policies,” says Rakipi. “I think Albania could have a bigger active role in the Balkans, implementing a constructive regional policy rather than reverting to a passive role.”
Albania, in fact, faces an urgent need for a critical review of relations with Kosovo, Greece and Serbia. And the new government also needs to focus on doing some qualitative and professional diplomacy, which is essential for small countries like Albania.
