Albania Action Plan Review 2020-2022 – For Public Comment

In 2021, the Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM)The Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM) is OGP’s accountability arm and the main means of tracking progress in participating countries. The IRM provides independent, evidence-based, and objective ... published the Action PlanAction plans are at the core of a government’s participation in OGP. They are the product of a co-creation process in which government and civil society jointly develop commitments to open governmen... Review for Albania’s fifth action plan. The report provides a technical review of the action plan’s characteristics and the strengths and challenges the IRM identifies to inform a stronger implementation process.

In Albania, the IRM’s findings are summarized below:

Albania’s fifth action plan aligns closely with pre-existing government strategies and priorities toward EU accession, including commitments to prevent corruption in public institutions, introduce beneficial ownershipDisclosing beneficial owners — those who ultimately control or profit from a business — is essential for combating corruption, stemming illicit financial flows, and fighting tax evasion. Technical... transparencyAccording to OGP’s Articles of Governance, transparency occurs when “government-held information (including on activities and decisions) is open, comprehensive, timely, freely available to the pub... More, and improve access to justiceAccessible justice systems – both formal and informal – ensure that individuals and communities with legal needs know where to go for help, obtain the help they need, and move through a system tha... More. However, the government continued to act contrary to the OGP process as it developed the action plan without a multistakeholder forum. A dedicated multistakeholder forum should be established, without delay, to monitor implementation of the current plan and develop future action plans that also consider citizen and civil society priorities.

The report is available in English and Albanian. The public comment period closed 21 July 2021.