Albania: end for NGO independence?

The Government of Albania is to approve soon new procedures for the registration of NGO’s in the country. This announcement was made few days ago when senior officials and consultants from the Ministry of Economy met with a small group of major NGO representatives to present and discuss the new changes in the law.

Almost since the establishment of democracy in Albania, NGO’s in Albania (whether local or international) were required to be approved and registered at the Magistrates Court, which hold also a special register. Since 2001 such a right to approve and register an NGO was given only to the Magistrate Court of Tirana, the main first instance court in Albania.

However with the new draft-law the authority to approve and register NGO’s will be given to the Ministry of Economy, which is directly responding to the Prime Minister?s office. Based on the new draft All the NGO’s in Albania (established before or after the law comes to force) will have to report every year to the National Authority for NGO registration, which reports to the Ministry of Economy, while appointed by the Prime-minister.

Also based on the draft the NGO’s will have to report in detail all the names and addresses of their members, including their signatures. The same draft applies to business registration in Albania.

Faced with such a change of law many NGO’s in Albania have raised their doubts whether this is a step by the Government of Albania to control NGO’s activities and membership in the country. During the last days there has been an increased communication between major organisations in the country, while a large NGO meeting is expected to take place in January.

The meeting will formulate a final answer to the draft-law and steps to be followed is the law is approved as it is. One does wonder if this draft becomes a law would it count for the end of independence of NGO’s in Albania.