Transition Initiatives: Albania Field Report
July 2000
Program Description
Initiated during the Kosovo crisis in May 1999, OTI's
Albanian Transition Initiative (ATI) attempts to strengthen local
governments and communities as a first step toward rebuilding a
vibrant civil society. The project has the following objectives:
- To demonstrate the power and
possibility of local civic action in Albania through concrete
community projects;
- To instill principles of accountability
in democratically elected local governments, particularly as
they approach local elections scheduled for late September and
early October; and,
- To publicize models of effective civic action throughout
Albania using local media.
In support of these objectives, OTI supports two complementary
program components: 1) community organizing with community
improvement projects; and 2) a coordinated media campaign. The $3.8
million program is expected to closeout in December 2000.
Country Situation
The two main political parties in Albania are expected to
announce candidates for the upcoming municipal elections this week
or next.
On July 25, the Yugoslav Army lifted a checkpoint that it had set
up on July 22 near the border between Albania and Montenegro
(Bozaj/Hani I Hotit). Approximately 300 Albanians without
Montenegrin visas were forced back at the checkpoint after the
Montenegrin police had let them through. According to the Albanian
government, an agreement between Albania and Montenegro allows
Albanian and Montenegrin citizens to travel to both countries
without visas.
Also on July 25, the Italian government threatened to halt all
aid to Albania if the Albanian government does not commit itself to
fight against Albanian smugglers. The comment came after an accident
at sea on July 23 in which a smuggler's boat ran into an Italian
coast guard patrol, killing 2 Italians and 2 Albanians. Albanian
smugglers cross the Adriatic Sea regularly, carrying illegal
immigrants and merchandise to Italy.
USAID/OTI
Highlights
A. Narrative Summary
Community Organizing:
During this reporting period ATI held 19 meetings with community groups
and local government authorities to identify and evaluate their
priorities and potential projects. One important meeting was held in
Lazarat, located along Albania's southern border. Lazarat has a reputation
throughout Albania for lawlessness and hostility towards government. During
the pyramid schemes and the 1997 crisis, Lazarat was considered the
most dangerous area in southern Albania. Even today, the local police
do not patrol this community for fear of
attack from villagers.
On July 20, ATI held an open community meeting in Lazarat's
main square with 90 to 100 participants, including town elders
and youth. Attendees also include the Democratic party leader
from Gjirokaster, a representative from the Communist party,
commune leaders, school directors, teachers and farmers.
A number of journalists were present, and the meeting
garnered broad press coverage. Footage of the meeting appeared
in the Gazeta Shiptare, a leading Albanian national paper
and Klan TV, Albania's leading independent television
network, ran information regarding the meeting on three news
shows the following day. In addition, the following local media
organizations covered the meeting: APTN, a network reaching from
Gjirokaster to Shkodra, Radio Gjirokaster, TV Antena Jug, a
southern Albanian local television station, and Dita Jug,
southern Albania's regional weekly newspaper. Such
coverage and interest demonstrates that the ATI approach to
community engagement is unique. It also ensures that the
broadest number of Albanian citizens are exposed to the idea
that citizens themselves should be involved in community
decision-making.
B. Grants Activity Summary
Since July 1999, ATI has completed 44 infrastructure
rehabilitation projects. Total USAID/OTI funds disbursed and
committed to rehabilitation projects amount to $1,457,170. Five
projects totaling $196,000 have been approved during this reporting
period. These include:
- Tirana -- Kindergarten No. 18: In
collaboration with the Albanian Women's NGO "Women in
Progress", ATI will rehabilitate this central Tirana
kindergarten, benefiting a neighborhood of 5,000. In support of
this project, the community will contribute labor, security and
transportation of materials.
- Kukes -- School Furniture: Working
through a local construction company, ATI will fund the
construction of desks, chairs and doors for Kukes schools and
kindergartens. The community will contribute transportation,
while the local government will contribute warehouse space.
- Kukes -- City Lights: This project
will procure materials and technical expertise necessary to
rehabilitate the streetlight system in Kukes, benefiting the
entire population of 20,000.
- Lazarat -- High School: ATI will
fund the replacement of windows, doors, toilets, electric and
water systems in the main high school in Lazarat.
- Lazarat -- Main Square: The main
square of this southern town needs to be completely resurfaced.
The community will provide the bulk of the unskilled labor,
while ATI will contract with a local civil engineer and asphalt
factory for the balance of work.
C. Indicators of Success
Retargeting: In order to focus the program
during the final months of implementation, ATI is in the process
of selecting 8-10 towns across Albania to concentrate support.
These towns are being selected to ensure a good mix of
reform-minded towns with more difficult to reach locations that,
due to their distance, have received little or no attention from
the international community.
Policy Leveraging: USAID has asked
ATI to help coordinate local and international election activities.
ATI's focus on citizen empowerment is shaping the nature of several
of these programs, as the ATI team encourages groups to consider
what information is most important for citizens to make informed
decisions in the election. ATI will likely fund several information
campaign proposals from local NGOs.
D. Program Appraisal
With the new team in place, ATI has been infused with a surge of
energy and enthusiasm. The team is clearly experimenting with
community participation techniques -- with great success.
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