Anti-Corruption Efforts in Albania: Challenges, Progress, and Institutional Frameworks

Corruption remains a major obstacle to Albania’s development, eroding public trust in government institutions and hindering progress in areas like public service delivery, economic growth, and governance reforms. Despite years of efforts to curb corruption, Albania continues to face widespread bribery and abuse of power at both high and low levels, which directly impacts its aspirations for European Union (EU) integration. This paper explores the challenges of Albania’s anti-corruption efforts, focusing on the legal framework, institutional mechanisms, and implementation of policies intended to foster transparency, accountability, and integrity within the public administration. Albania has established several key institutions to address corruption, including the Special Prosecution Against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), the High Inspectorate for Declaration and Audit of Assets and Conflict of Interest (ILDKPKI), and the Network of Anti-Corruption Coordinators. These institutions were created to improve the prosecution of corruption and promote ethical conduct within government. However, they face serious challenges that hinder their effectiveness, such as political interference, inadequate resources, and overlapping mandates. While there has been some success in prosecuting high-level corruption, these institutions remain constrained by weak enforcement capabilities, insufficient political support, and a lack of independence from political influence. A significant part of Albania’s anti-corruption strategy is its National Anti-Corruption Strategy (SNKK) and its associated Action Plan. These documents aim to provide a comprehensive approach to combatting corruption in the public sector. A key element of the strategy involves the implementation of Integrity Plans and Codes of Conduct within public institutions, designed to foster a culture of transparency and ethical behavior. However, despite the adoption of these measures, the paper argues that their impact has been limited due to weak enforcement mechanisms, insufficient political will, and lack of institutional commitment. Many public institutions, especially at the local level, have been slow to implement these plans, and the lack of a robust monitoring and enforcement structure has allowed corruption to persist. Civil society organizations (CSOs) also play a critical role in anti-corruption efforts by monitoring the effectiveness of government policies, advocating for transparency, and holding officials accountable. However, their influence has been limited due to inadequate opportunities for engagement with the government, weak formal channels for public participation, and a lack of political will to embrace genuine accountability measures. While some CSOs have made notable contributions to raising public awareness and pushing for reform, the lack of a structured platform for collaboration between CSOs and government agencies has hindered their overall impact. A major structural problem in Albania’s anti-corruption framework is the absence of a unified, independent body with the authority to oversee and coordinate anti-corruption efforts. Currently, multiple institutions with overlapping responsibilities lead to inefficiencies and confusion. The creation of new bodies, such as the parliamentary Anti-Corruption Commission, risks further fragmenting the anti-corruption landscape and potentially undermining the work of institutions like SPAK. The lack of clear leadership and political backing has also undermined the effectiveness of Albania’s anti-corruption framework.