Abstract
Albania received candidate status for EU membership in 2014, and its political agenda is focused on European integration. This chapter analyses some important aspects of economic and social development in Albania on its road towards the EU. In particular, it focuses on economic growth, governance and the quality of institutions, foreign trade, competitiveness, the labour market, poverty and inequality. Despite high rates of growth, income per capita is relatively low compared with other European countries, and poverty has increased in recent years after a long period of falling poverty levels. Inequality of incomes has widened during the transition and has reached levels similar to other European market economies. Many institutional reforms need to be completed, including an improvement in the quality of institutions, the rule of law being a prominent example. Albania avoided the worst effects of the global economic crisis and the spillovers from the Eurozone crisis but at the expense of a steady increase in public and external indebtedness. In 2014, the country appealed to the IMF for financial support, which was given on condition that a policy of fiscal consolidation would be implemented. This may make it more difficult to expand redistributive social assistance programmes for the relief of poverty in the future. To overcome these limitations, policies should focus on improving the competitiveness of the economy, encouraging a faster rate of technological development and moving towards a path of high value-added production and trade to support the future development of the economy.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Notes
- 1.
The interim agreement covering trade aspects entered into force in 2006, while the full SAA entered into force in 2009.
- 2.
World Bank World Development Indicators database online data.
- 3.
IMF News Release, Tirana, 15 February 2013.
- 4.
Eurostat online data variable code [cpc_ecnabrk].
- 5.
For the EU-28 countries, the structure mentioned above is as follows: 23.5% industrial manufacturing (15% manufacture), 1.5% agriculture, and 75% services.
- 6.
Albania had been near the bottom of the list in this regard at 186th position, but improved to 106th position in 2017.
- 7.
World Bank World Development Indicators online database.
- 8.
World Bank World Development Indicators online data.
- 9.
Ibid.
- 10.
Klodiana Kapo, “Drop in remittances hits poor Albanian hard”, Balkan Insight, 29/09/2014.
- 11.
Eurostat online data variable code [nama_10_gdp].
- 12.
UNCTAD online data.
- 13.
Eurostat online data variable code [cpc_pseduc].
- 14.
See M. Rukaj “Albania: the boom of private schools” Osservatorio balcani e caucaso, 2nd October 2012, available at http://www.balcanicaucaso.org/eng/Regions-and-countries/Albania/Albania-the-boom-of-private-schools-122645
- 15.
- 16.
Eurostat online data variable code [cpc_ecnagdp].
- 17.
See Government Program: Public Services, available at http://www.kryeministria.al/en/program/public-service
- 18.
World Bank World Development Indicators online database.
- 19.
INSTAT, “Gross Domestic Product according to Statistical Regions in Albania, 2012”, Press Release, 31/7/2014.
References
Acemoglu, D., Gallego, F. A., & Robinson, J. A. (2014). Institutions, human capital and development. American Economic Review, 6, 875–912.
Bajrovic, I. C., & Satter, J. R. (2014). Albania: From bunkers to ballots. Journal of Democracy, 25(1), 142–153.
Bartlett, W., Čučković, N., & Jurlin, K. (2016). A comparative perspective on institutional quality in countries at different stages of European integration. Tijdschrift voor Economische en Sociale Geografie, 108(1), 92–108.
Bogdani, M., & Laughlin, J. (2007). Albania and the European Union: The tumultuous journey towards integration and accession. London: GB, I.B. Tauris.
Boka, M., & Torluccio, G. (2013). Informal economy in Albania. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2(8), 212–221.
Castaldo, A., & Reilly, B. (2007). How do migrant remittances affect the expenditure patterns of Albanian Household? Journal of Economics, 1, 25–54.
Duval, L., & Wolff, F. (2010). Remittances matter: Longitudinal evidence from Albania. Post-Communist Economies, 22(1), 73–97.
Feilcke-Tiemann, A. (2006). Albania: Gradual consolidation limited by internal political struggles. Southeastern and Black Sea Studies, 6(1), 25–41.
Gërmenji, E., & Milo, L. (2011). Migration of the skilled from Albania: Brain drain or brain gain? Journal of Balkan and Near Eastern Studies, 13(3), 339–356.
Gerxhani, K., & de Werfhorst, H. G. (2013). The effect of education on informal sector participation in a post-communist economy. European Sociological Review, 29(3), 464–476.
Gwartney, D., Lawson, R. A., & Holcombe, R. G. (1999). Economic freedom and the environment for economic growth. Journal of Theoretical and Institutional Economics, 15(4), 643–663.
Hashi, I., & Xhillari, L. (1999). Privatisation and transition in Albania. Post-Communist Economies, 11(1), 99–125.
INSTAT. (2014a). Albanian labour market dynamics 2001–2011. Trana: Institute of Statistics.
INSTAT. (2014b). Quarterly labour force survey, second quarter 2014. Tirana: Institute of Statistics.
INSTAT. (2015). Albania: Trends in poverty, 2002–2005–2008–2012. Tirana: Institute of Statistics.
Jarvis, C. (2000). The rise and fall of the pyramid schemes in Albania. IMF Staff Papers, 47(1), 1–29.
Mastromarco, C., Peragine, V., Russo, F., & Serlenga, L. (2014). Poverty, inequality and growth in Albania: Empirical evidence, 2002–05. Economics of Transition, 22(4), 635–682.
Mavrikos-Adamou, T. (2014). Rule of law and the democratization process: The case of Albania. Democratization, 21(6), 1153–1171.
MSWY. (2014). Employment and skills strategy 2014–2020. Tirana: Ministry of Social Welfare and Youth.
NBA. (2014). Monetary policy report, second quarter. Tirana: National Bank of Albania.
Pano, N. (1997). The process of democratization in Albania. In K. Dawisha & B. Parrott (Eds.), Politics, power and the struggle for democracy in South-East Europe (pp. 285–352). Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Pettifer, J. (2000). Albania: The democratic deficit in the post-communist period. In G. Pridham & T. Gallagher (Eds.), Experimenting with democracy: Regime change in the Balkans (pp. 237–248). London: Routledge.
Rodrik, D., Subramanian, A., & Trebbi, F. (2004). Institutions rule: The primacy of institutions over geography and integration in economic development. Journal of Economic Growth, 9, 131–165.
Shehaj, E., & Adnett, N. (2014). Modelling the drivers of female labour force participation: The case of Albania. Paper presented at the 2nd Biannual conference of the LSEE Research Network on Social Cohesion, Post-crisis recovery in Southeast Europe and beyond: Policy challenges for social and economic inclusion. London: LSEE – LSE Research on South East Europe, 27–28 March.
Shimamoto, D. (2014). Motivation behind remittance from migrants: Evidence from Albania (Discussion Papers in Economics and Business no. 14-05). Osaka: Osaka School of International Public Policy.
UNDP. (2010). Regional disparities in Albania. Tirana: United Nations Development Programme.
UNDP. (2011). Report on vulnerable groups excluded from the labour market. Tirana: United Nations Development Programme.
UNDP. (2013). National study on the rural labour market. Tirana: United Nations Development Programme.
UNICEF. (2014). National study on children in street situation in Albania. Tirana: United Nations Children’s Fund.
WEF. (2016). Global competitiveness report 2015–2016. Geneva: World Economic Forum.
Xhaferaj, A. (2013). Appointed elites in the political parties: Albania case. Academic Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, 2(3), 307.
Ymeraj, A. (2007). Albania. In B. Deacon & P. Stubbs (Eds.), Social policy and international interventions in South East Europe (pp. 187–202). Cheltenham: Edward Elgar.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2019 Springer International Publishing AG, part of Springer Nature
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Pere, E., Bartlett, W. (2019). On the Way to Europe: Economic and Social Developments in Albania. In: Osbild, R., Bartlett, W. (eds) Western Balkan Economies in Transition. Societies and Political Orders in Transition. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93665-9_6
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-93665-9_6
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-319-93664-2
Online ISBN: 978-3-319-93665-9
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)