Prawa mniejszości narodowych i etnicznych w Albanii w okresie transformacji politycznych po 1991 r.
The Rights of National and Ethnic Minorities in Albania in the Post-1991 Period of Political Transformation

Summary/Abstract: Making constant progress in the areas of key importance for the start of its accession negotiations, Albania after 1991 has introduced a range of reforms as regards respecting the rights and freedoms of the national minorities living within its territory. Currently, the picture is a mixed one when it comes to their protection and largely based on appearances. Although the international commitments of the Council of Europe’s Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms have been adopted and most international human rights conventions ratified, no comprehensive legislation related to minorities has been put in practice. The minority laws protect only persons in minority zones (since 2017 minority communes). Only time will tell whether the Albanian Government follows the Act of 13 October 2017 extending such rights to embrace citizens from outside of the minority communes. The freedoms of assembly and association are largely respected. Minorities are represented in local government bodies. Yet there are no safeguard to ensure active participation of national minorities in making Albanian law. Small minority parties are not represented in the Parliament as the electoral system offers no such guarantees. Faulty procedures governing the collection and processing of statistical data concerning the number and residence of national minorities result in falsified and unreliable picture as to their volume. However, the reforms carried out in Albania, to a large extent monitored by the EU and NGOs, go in the right direction while the EU-friendly attitude of the Albanian public and authorities alike offer a prospect of speedy implementation of remedies to fill the existing legal gaps and overcome the deficiencies.

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