IDM Albania

Institute for Democracy and Mediation, through its specialized department; Centre for European and Security Studies, during the last years has been focused on the reforms related to the security sector in Albania, constituting one of the leading Albanian think tanks in the field of security studies. In this framework, IDM aims to contribute in the ongoing security sector reforms and accontability of the security sector governance in Albania

In this publication are included speeches and recommendations of the national conference “An Albanian Agenda to Regional Security, supported by the NATO Public Diplomacy Division in Brussels. The conference called for the drafting of a national agenda of regional security that will serve to orient the cooperation of Albania with regional and international partners and will be in the disposition of the Euro-Atlantic integrations of the country. The publication contains English abstracts of the speeches.

Policy Brief No. 2 / 2011

This Policy Brief looks at the challenges of the approximation process of Albanian legislation with EU acquis by examining the alignment practice and approach applied in specific cases of legislation where implementation remains a concern. It further highlights that alongside the need to improve administrative capacities and resources, decision makers and other stakeholders must invest more efforts to address three major deficiencies in the context of legal approximation with the EU acquis: 1) involvement of interest groups and other non-state actors (external consultations); 2) ex ante assessment of economic and other impact on the local context; and
3) thorough assessment of implementation costs and coordination resources among responsible institutions.

This Monitoring Brief covers the first six months of 2011 and will be followed by an annual monitoring report of the work and performance of PCNS.

SMN - Policy Paper 2011

This paper analyses Albania’s intelligence system and tries to make an assessment of the main problems is faces. The paper calls for the need of a comprehensive reform which should bring the intelligence system in line with the international norms and standards.

SMN - Policy Documents 2011

Improving the process of Challenges, Risks and Threats (CRT) assessment is one of the most important challenges of defining and drafting a comprehensive National Security Document. This policy paper aims not only to give a general view of the current implication of the process but also to ensure a useful platform for discussion on the eve of the review and drafting of the new National Security Strategy Document. More specifically, the purpose is to provide a summary analysis of the Albanian CRT assessment so far, focusing on three important levels of a final integrated process.

The study and analysis of the perceptions of local elite’s representatives aims to give a valuable contribution to the process and work of policy-making institutions. In addition, this study will serve to help establishing a thorough process and benchmarks that would lead to improved processes of drafting, reviewing, implementation and monitoring of the national security policy framework, in line with Albania’s obligation as NATO member country and contemporary standards of the North-Atlantic Alliance.

This publication includes the proceedings of the national conference “Democratic Control and Civil-Military Relations: Still an Unfinished Business” organized by Centre for European and Security Affairs (Institute for Democracy and Mediation) on 20-21 November 2009. This publication in the Albanian language includes all presentations/panel reports and studies, while the English part of the book includes only panel reports and results of the three surveys carried out in the framework of this conference. 

Author: Arjan Dyrmishi

This paper analyses Albania’s intelligence system and tries to make an assessment of the main problems is faces. The paper calls for the need of a comprehensive reform which should bring the intelligence system in line with the international norms and standards

The report presents the main findings of the survey which does not pretend to be exhaustive from the perspective of thematic coverage, processes or actors involved in the context of Albania’s EU accession

This study analyzes the context in which the Security Sector Reform (SSR) has taken place in Albania since the fall of the communist regime. It has been conceptualized in three main periods, based on the social, political and economic perspectives that featured each phase during the process of Security Sector Reform.

EUROPE IN 12 LESSONS : "HOW LATE IS TOO LATE"

This study analyses the development of the responsible decision making and coordination institutions of the national security policies. In addition, it also offers an assessment overview of their role and efficiency.

The periodical review of the fundamental security document of the Republic of Albania, known as “National Security Strategy” is necessary, nay legally obligatory, for the main political and institutional actors of the country. This review raises a lot of concerns mainly due to the dynamics of the security environment either domestically or regionally or even globally.

Gender is a crucial component of our identity. However, gender interacts with and is influenced by many other factors such as class, ethnicity, nationality, sexual orientation, age etc. These sharp (to various degrees) gender differences are present in all areas of life, including security.

Paper prepared in the framework of the project: "Integration Perspectives and Synergic Effects of European Transformation in the Countries Targeted by EU Enlargement and Neighborhood Policies”. Albania’s EU integration process represents perhaps one of the most debated matters in the national public and political discourse. Being considered as the strongest incentive to move forward in the democratization process, the EU integration struggle and political actors’ performance therein has attracted the attention of civil society representatives, private sector, as well as the public’s attention at large.

The publication consists of the  findings of a survey, conducted by IDM in the period March-May 2007, on the perceptions of Albanian public on the process of NATO integration. 

The Backgrounder is intended to trigger more informed debate, now through a new format, on the legal, policy and institutional challenges related to the interception of communications. This work was based and "provoked" by the series of amendments in the past years to the legal framework regulating such a sensitive issue. The Series II of IDM policy work, supported by OSI Think Tank Fund, follows the success of the first year's series of policy documents (2008) through which IDM provided a valuable contribution in a number of areas such as decentralisation, police - local government relations and especially in relation to the debate on the timing of Albania's EU membership application.

Under the framework of the Regional Conference on ”NATO’s NEW STRATEGIC CONCEPT A view from the Western Balkans”, the Institute for Democracy and Mediation (IDM) in cooperation with its regional partners in the Western Balkans carried out a series of mini-surveys with approximately 233 respondents.

PUBLIC TRUST – CHALLENGE FOR THE POLICE (5) (ALBANIAN)

This book includes the papers of the Fifth National Conference “Public Trust – A Challenge for the Police”. This is an annual event of IDM, in cooperation with the General Directory of State Police, to analyze the activities implemented in the framework of the project “Improving the Law Enforcement at the Local Level”, supported by National Endowment for Democracy. The achievements of the project during the latest year have been the drafting of the Local Strategy for Crime Prevention in some regions and the institutionalization of the Boards for Crime Prevention in police commissariats.