Homeposts – Page 34 – Albanian Institute of Science

Our new Project: MONEY; GOVERNMENT & POLITICS

10/12/2014/in Homeposts, Press Releases /by Besi Hysa

In honor of International Anti – Corruption Day, our organization AIS is happy to announce new tools and more released data for more transparency not only about public expenditures. Those data and tools are part of our new project Money, Government and Politics.

This project and its activities intend to address issues of abuse, corruption, and conflict of interest in the context of governance and politics in Albania. The program aims at opening data about the wealth of high state officials; expenditures of state institutions; electoral spending and expenditures of the concessionary companies. Comparison and analysis of such data increases transparency and public pressure in cases of favors in funds or public assets.

The objective of the Money; Government and Politics Project is to expand the Open Data Albania and Spending Data Albania platform by introducing new data that will empower the Albanian public with information and better decision-making skills.

Project time frame: November 2014 – 30 December 2014. Donor: National Endowment for Democracy, and other potential funds to be raised.

DataThon Albania 2014 – Invitation for participation

10/12/2014/in Events, Homeposts /by Besi Hysa

Activist, Journalist, or Student of Economics; Journalisms and Political Sciences!
The Marathon of Open Data – DataThon Albania is coming.

This year, competition will be based on the data on Budgetary Expenditures. How do the young people analyse the budgetary expenditures of state institutions, which are the most distinct clients that are provided with money buy the state, and while making these payment available, are there identified cases of abuse, nepotisms or conflict of interest situation. Having a better understanding of the delivery of taxpayers money – this is the goal of this marathon in this fourth year of its organization.

Competition is recommended in groups of 2-3 persons. This year, those that will conduct better analysis during DataThon, there will be 2 rewards for them, each of them consisting in a 15 000 Leke.
In order to be inspired on Transparent Expenditures, you may click in advance. Spending Data Albania .

It organised AIS and ODA

All those who would like to participate in this event, may be registered for free in the following liknk, and be provided with a free participation ticket.http://www.eventbrite.com/e/datathon-albania-2014-tickets-1…

This ticket is necessary to be shown upon your presence at Protik on DataThon

TRANSPARENCY OF PUBLIC ASSETS AND MINERALS RESOURCES

10/12/2014/in Homeposts /by Besi Hysa

^{Program’s Impact}^{Open Data / Spending Albania}

Until now, Open Data Albania has been focusing mainly on the transparency of public funds such as the state budget; programs expenses; individual tax distribution etc. Lately, after the publication of several articles with data about the underground wealth on minerals such as oil, copper, chrome, it was made possible to start a public debate and analysis about how these wealth is being managed; how the mineral products are being sold in the international market and whether the revenues generated are being reported correctly. About 40% of the Albanian exports’ value come from selling of oil products and minerals . The exploitation of the minerals and of the oil wells is being done as concessions foreign companies. After selling the product, a part of the income goes to the state budget in the form of mineral rent.

Is Copper being sold under real market value?

Open Data Albania has published a few days ago some data about the exploration and exports of copper mineral in the country . The data are based on official sources and have been gathered in the framework of the transparency of exploiting national assets. After the publication of the article by the ODA, some media used the data for their journalistic work. After the publication of some facts on the quantities sold and the declared revenues, immediately some experts of the mineral industry reacted elaborating on calculations which clearly demonstrate that the price for sales is a real price for copper. As a result, according to them, the selling of the mineral with lower price brings lower income for the state budget or economic damage for the national finances.

The magazine titled JAVA has published an article of eng. Qerim Ismeni where he argues that the quantity of copper (the source site of Munella-Puke) sold out of the country contains some minerals and it has a higher value than that of the one declared. Quote:

“…together with the copper there have been exported about 25 thousand tons of zinc and a quantity of gold and silver, cadmium, indium, selenium, tellurium, etc. From this the calculation grows to $900 million rather than $205 million income published by ODA”. The article of eng. Qerim Ismeni for JAVA magazine was published also by two daily newspapers on the same day, which drew the attention of the public for more transparency in the management of the assets given on concession.

Oil resources and the problem of having high prices for domestic consumers

Another group of articles that have generated public debate over the way how national assets are being managed has to do with indicators of the oil trade and industry. ODA has recently published articles on the quantities produced and sold out of the country . It has also published a comparative article about the retail prices of oil and diesel in the country compared to countries in the region and in Europe. In the end, this information has encouraged the media to write articles where the abusive management of the only oil processing company in the country is denounced. The ill functioning of the company that processes the domestic oil has brought to the situation where the domestic consumer has to buy imported oil with high costs as in other European countries with higher standard of living and without oil resources. Article titles such as: Dita; Shekulli ; Shqiptarja ; Opozita ; Illyria etc, in their front pages were: “Poor in wealth”; “Rich Land of Poor People” . The analysis of the journalists was based fully on the data published by Open Data Albania.

http://open.data.al/en/lajme/lajm/id/975/Eksportet-dhe-Importet-sipas-grupmallrave-1993-2013

^{http://open.data.al/en/lajme/lajm/id/1071/Eksplorimi-rezervat-dhe-eksportet-e-bakrit-2005—2013}

^{http://open.data.al/sq/lajme/lajm/id/1094/Bakri-shqiptar-700-milion-USD-humbje}

^{http://www.shekulli.com.al/web/p.php?id=48592&kat=103}

^{http://open.data.al/en/lajme/lajm/id/924/Eksporti-dhe-importi-i-naftes-ne-vend-2005—2013}

^{http://open.data.al/en/lajme/lajm/id/866/Trendi-rrites-per-Cmimin-e-benzines-kundrejt-atij-te-naftes-ne-Shqiperi-dhe-ne-bote-1998-2012}

^{http://www.shekulli.com.al/web/p.php?id=38158&kat=89}

^{http://www.shqiptarja.com/ekonomi/2733/raportishqip-riam–e-pasura-n–eu-p-r-naft-400-mln-ton-rezerv–195282.html}

^{http://open.data.al/sq/lajme/lajm/id/933/Na-duhen-dy-qeveri-me-shume-shqiptare!}

^{http://illyriapress.com/shumefishohet-eksporti-naftes-bie-importi-karburantit-2005-2013/}

^{http://gazetadita.al/11-janar-2014/}

Aktivitete të AIS pasqyruar në Media

06/11/2014/in Homeposts, Media Coverage @en /by Besi Hysa

Dy ikona prej guri të cilat mendohet se i përkasin shek të XII-XIII janë gjetur në kishën e vogël të fshatit Arsmiliska që gjëndet rreth tre orë larg qytetit të Pukës.

Evidentohen Ikona Guri, Projekti i AIS në Zonën Para Alpe

05/11/2014/in Homeposts, Press Releases /by Besi Hysa

Me mbështetje të programeve të Trashëgimisë Kulturore nga Ministria e Kulturës, Instituti Shqiptar i Shkencave (AIS) në muajt gusht – tetor ka realizuar në terren një proçes pune për evidentimin dhe kartelizimin e objekteve etnografike të paregjistruara në zonën e njohur si Para Alpet. Konkretisht është punuar në fshatrat Iballë; Mërtur Guri dhe Ars Miliska të rrethit të Pukës Qarku Shkodër. Përmes këtijë projekti është synuar jo vetëm evidentimi por edhe kartelizimi i objekteve me vlera të veçanta etnografike. Proçesi i evidentimit dhe kartelizimit të objekteve, është realizuar sipas kritereve dhe modaliteteve të legjislacionit që rregullon evidentimin dhe kartelizimin e objekteve etnografike pranë sistemit të dixhitalizuar të QKIPK, Qendra Kombëtare e Inventarizimit të Pasurive Kulturore.

Në punën në terren janë evidentuar objekte etnografike tepër interesante të materializuara në gur; metal; dru apo tekstil artizanal. Çdo objekt veç vlerës që lidhet drejtpërdrejt me vjetërsinë e tij dhe karakterin artizanal, përcjell edhe simbolikë të pasur të periudhës Iliro – Arbërore dhe të mesjetës së vonë. Shumë prej objekteve kanë vlera që adresojnë në nevojën për tu shpallur edhe Monument Kulture. Ato mbartin karakteristika të spikatura monumentale, arkitekturore dhe tradicionale.

Rast tipik është ai i Kishës së Ars Miliskaut ku gjenden dy ikona guri të hershme dhe një galeri gdhendjesh po në gur. Këto objekte në gur, së bashku me element të tjerë në dru, u evidentuan dhe kartelizuan pranë Qendrës së Inventarizimit. Më tej specialist të programit do të propozojnë pranë Drejtorisë Rajonale të Kulturës Shkodër, inicimin e një procedure për ta shpallur këtë objekt Monument Kulture.

Rikonstruksioni grafik i këtyre tre elementeve: porta; shenjtorët e gdhëndur në gur, si dhe të simboleve të gdhendura gjithashtu në gur na rezulton si një “ikonostas” me shumë interes, në të cilin paraqiten figura përfaqësuese pagane e më tej edhe të krishterimit (Katolik Romak).

Programi i AIS në terren ka evidentuar mbi 50 objekte etnografike të kësaj zone të cilat po inventarizohen dhe pajisen me kartelë evidentuese pranë Qendrës së Inventarizimit. Ky inventarizim në fondin tonë dixhital do të ndihmojë jo vetëm në evidentim të qartë të vlerës etnografike por edhe më tej në kontribut për konservim dhe mbrojtje më të mirë të këtij fondi.

Instituti falënderon në mënyrë të veçantë Ministrinë e Kulturës për mbështetjen, dhe Qendrën Kombëtare të Inventarizimit për bashkëpunimin me qëllim finalizimin e këtij projekti.

Spending Data Albania – sheds light on cases of conflict of interest.

31/10/2014/in Homeposts, Media Coverage @en /by Besi Hysa

For the last nine months, Project “Spending Data Albania” has published every transaction involving payment of public money to beneficiaries and clients of the state institutions. Such information helps Albanian citizens learn how their money and public assets are being spent. At the same time, individuals may know clients who provide paid services to the state institutions, and from time to time see whether there is any nepotism or conflict of interest involved in such arrangements.

Thus, representatives of the opposition, as well as some representatives of the media, have identified a case in the data published by Spending Data Albania regarding the Treasure Transactions which raises obvious suspicions about unlawfulness and conflict of interest. One of the private companies founded and owned earlier by the Socialist Member of Parliament Koço Kokëdhima seems to have benefited from contracts with a large number of state institutions, while the MP was at the same time the shareholder and owner of Abissnet.

The Treasure Transactions application tables were published on newspapers’ front pages, and the former Chair of the largest opposition party in the country, Mr. Sali Berisha, has announced on social networks that such facts will be used to ask the Constitutional Court to revoke the mandate of MP Kokëdhima based on Article 70, point 3 and 4 of the Constitution. In a similar case in 2009, another MP lost his mandate by a decision of the Constitutional Court.

The Supreme State Audit and the Albanian Institute of Science signed a cooperation agreement

16/10/2014/in Events, Homeposts /by Besi Hysa

The Supreme State Audit and the Albanian Institute of Sciences (AIS), engaged through a cooperative agreement for the exchange of data between institutions. The agreement was signed by the chairman of SSA, Bujar Leskaj and the executive director of the Albanian Institute of Science, Aranita Brahaj.

Pursuant to this agreement, SSA will engage in exchanging data of mutual interest, opening a window of communication with the public in order to increase transparency and modernize the institution.

Through this cooperation, it will be created the possibility of using various data published by Open Data Albania which is a serious project appreciated from both within and outside the country for the quality of data and analysis that it prepares and publishes.

Through the implementation of this agreement, SSA is fulfilling the tasks for capacity building and enhancing professional standards in auditing, through training, workshops and other joint activities with the aim to modernize the institution and strengthening the fight against corruption.

Brahaj, in turn, praised the cooperation and new approach of SSA to Civil Society, noting that this cooperation through the exchange of data will generate new ideas and will help in finding defects, improving the fight against corruption. Both sides expressed the determination to implement this agreement and the belief that a sincere cooperation between public authorities and civil society will give concrete results in increased transparency, improved economic analysis by using data on socio-economic indicators in Albania, aiming of improvement of governance.

ZA’LART 2015

18/09/2014/in Homeposts, Past Projects, Projects /by aranita

ZA´LART 2015, is a project where the citizens are invited to denounce (report and alert) on an open source platform (website & app mobile), about problems they encounter during electoral campaigns and electoral day. Citizens are empowered with tools that allow them to participate in a real time monitoring process. This project is a new form of democracy that aims to give voice to the common citizens’ through a crowd source platform.

The Albanian citizens will be heard and have the possibility to express a personal opinion on the electoral process. This project is based on ICT for Fair Election and aim to contribute for active citizenship and democratic process of Local Government Election 2015 in Albania. The facts (audio, photo and video), irregularities and information collected, will provide a clear overview of the electoral process and encourage the interested bodies (civic stakeholders and institutions) to undertake appropriate administrative and politic measures.

Open Spending Albania

16/09/2014/in Homeposts, Past Projects /by admin

The project establishes a platfrom where every ordinary citizen is able to monitor transactions of the state treasury, the day-to-day expenses of each institution, by having access to the amount of expenses, descriptions, beneficiaries and clients of state institutions, be it independent institutions, central government, and local government.

Goal:
The goal of the project is to provide access to well-structured and visualized data on public procurements and spending, supporting citizens and CSOs to participate in a more open government approach

Albanian Institute of Science with its Open Data Albania team, willing to empower both individuals and the Albanian society with information on how taxpayers’ money is spent, has built a new platform known as Spending Data Albania. Through certain applications, the public has the opportunity to learn how each individual contributes through their taxes to the total budget or to specific budgets by sectors. Similarly, an application known as Money Map and Budget provides information on division of budgets by sectors. The most interesting part of the platform is the Treasury Transactions application. This application and the standard of monitoring the day-to-day expenses made by the state administration is a standard that is being offered to the Albanian citizens at a time when countries with much more advanced democracy or models of access to information have not yet managed to achieve.

The information provided by this platform is exhausting regarding every state budget from January 2012 until the current weeks. This application, the range of information and its philosophy enables the society, the media, and the citizens to have access to information about the ways the taxpayers’ money is spent, as well as about the public assets, based on the slogan “Public Money is my Money”. The entirety of transactions includes also those expenses and transfers made to those selected through public procurement.

We invite the public at large to take this opportunity to inform themselves and invite you to write to us so that we may help you with the technical use of the applications available or by making even more detailed analysis of the Treasury Transaction Monitoring.
This Project is supported by:

The goal is to provide a platform where citizens, through several applications, can get information on everything related to public expenditures. Services offered to the public include monitoring of the state treasury; online tax calculation; money map and budget.

http://spending.data.al/

ACADEMIC´AL – Increasing the Visibility of Scientific Research

15/09/2014/in Homeposts, Past Projects, Projects /by aranita

As part of the scope to base our projects ICT Solutions, AIS implemented during the first 6 months of 2013 a platform for the Albanian scientific research. The aim of the platform was to increase the visibility of scientific researchers and their scientific works. The project delivery include a central portal that provides information on researchers including activities, projects engaged, relations with other researchers and institutions. The portal contains data of 300 researchers in Albania and more than 500 documents (publications & result-sets of experiment activity).

http://academical.al/