1 GOVERNANCE AND PUBLIC ADMINISTRATION IN ALBANIA Urban Research Institute Zana Vokopola

Urban Research Institute 2 General situation in Albania One of most isolated countries post WWII until transition, and one of poorest in Europe With transition, severe economic and social transformation in a short period of time External, migration, massive peri-urban growth Regional instability (Kosovo), human trafficking, European accession, etc.

Urban Research Institute 3 How do country problems relate to public administration Country’s needs much greater than available internal and external resources. Extremely high civil service turnover, weak public administration Delayed implementation of the reforms to achieve further economic progress, fight poverty and social exclusion and to gradually increase social protection Only marginal improvements in service delivery and infrastructure

Urban Research Institute 4 National Strategy for Social and Economic Development The improvement of the following are “conditions” to achieve the Strategy’s objectives: a) health and educational services (b) infrastructure and life services for the population, constitute priority fields which need special attention; (c) institutional reforms and (d) economic growth constitute the pillars; and (e) macroeconomic sustainability (f) the social support.

Urban Research Institute 5 Decentralization and Public Administration, Water example Major problems regarding its capacity, extension, access, water quality and the sector’s management, administrative and financial capacity. Decentralization Reform will proceed intensively with the transfer of water and sewer function and properties that related to the delivery of the service. Successful management and cost recovery of the service requires for a higher level of capacities at the level of Communes and Municipalities, which currently in most of the cases seems to be short of.

Urban Research Institute 6 Building up Capacities at Local Level Understanding legal framework of the sector; Adoption of management alternatives which suites better to local specific conditions; Estimating costs and calculating service fees to allow for cost recovery; Maintenance and operation efficient practices; Community participation in decision making process related to the delivery of the service.

Urban Research Institute 7 Public Administration Reform The need to restore and build trust in the government is the main priority. The re are already identified two key issues that must be addressed in order to build such trust: Accountability and Public Administration Capacity, by: (i) strengthening public financial management, including the management of both public expenditures and revenues; and (ii) strengthening human resource management. How: by ensuring a more effective division among policy-making, policy execution, the executive, evaluation and audit structures and their decentralization to the regions.

Urban Research Institute 8 Strengthening of Human Resource Management (i)Civil Service Reform, to create the managerial and professional nucleus required to lead any serious efforts to improve the accountability and performance of public institutions (ii)Broader public sector human resource management reform.

Urban Research Institute 9 The areas of PA Reform 1.Strengthening of the administration’s stability : a) improvement of the legal and institutional regulations defining the division between the political and the administrative level; b) strengthening of the Civil Service Commission’s role as an instrument to reduce abuses in the framework of the Civil Servant Status; c) insuring the full implementation of the Civil Servant Status and other principles of public administration;

Urban Research Institute 10 The areas of PA Reform cont’ 2. Increase in the performance of the public administration and civil servants: a)Structural improvements, clarification of mandates, responsibilities and authority; b) Adoption of a clear and monitorial scope of work for each civil servant; c) Initiating objective performance evaluation instruments; d) Adoption of appropriate motivation instruments, such as bonuses, and disciplinary actions; e) The above-mentioned approaches will be supported by expanding training opportunities(TIPA) and other activities that will increase the managerial capacities.

Urban Research Institute 11 What will guarantee the improvement of the public services towards the Albanian citizens Better regulating process (through better norms and legislation) Improvement of the standard of the public services to the citizens Full employment of the computerized systems I ntroduce the competition in the implementation of the services Qualification of the public officers.