Evaluation based on the inspiring stories presented by representatives of participating countries

 Author: Erisa ZYKA

Broadcast by ABC News TV

The Albanian society is among the most active European societies in using Information and Communication technologies. In other words, Albanians, and mainly young Albanian men and women use social networks like FB and Twitter, but it was even awarded a prize. Even though non-EU countries, Albania and Serbia are part of an electronic network of 11 countries, among other EU member countries. This was enabled thanks to the Albanian Institute of Science, which has included Albania in the Telecenter Europe network, which, through the optimal use of Information and Communication Technologies, intends not only to fight social exclusion and poverty, but also increase citizen’s participation in political decision-making through electronic instruments.

 At a ceremony that took place in the European Parliament, the winners of an electronic participation contest, which had presented inspiring stories of active citizenship, were awarded prizes of appreciation. Jora Risto is one of the 12  winners among hundreds of stories presented on how European young people use instruments of electronic participation in order to raise public awareness, influence, or solve social issues. The story for which Jora was awarded the price represents an important moment of civic participation in Albania. She presented the story of the ‘Students of November 2013’, who managed to mobilize protests against the process of dissembling the Syrian chemical weapons in Albania.

 In EU member countries, active electronic citizenship may lead not only to protests being organized against certain decisions, but even to changes in the legislation. According to the Executive Director of Telecenter Europe network, Gabriel Rissola, active electronic participation is promoting democratic processes of societies among societies themselves.

 Gabriel Rissola: “The so-called ‘Spanish Revolution’ of 15 May was a process that mobilized a lot of people, millions of citizens in Spain. The entire process started through phone calls with people being informed about a protest that was going to take place in the center of Madrid. There were many proposals made by, let’s say, people’s assemblies, but none was translated into changes to the legislation. Nothing happened. That is why it was very interesting to hear the case of Estonia today, where protests managed to be materialized into 7 new laws”.

Active electronic participation intends to make best use of citizens’ initiative in European decision-making. Based on Lisbon Treaty, if 1 million signatures are collected on a given issue, the European Commission is expected to initiate its legislative process on that issue.

 Broadcast on13 December 2015 on TV ABC NEWS

The financing of political parties in Albania is regulated by law, but the local election campaign of June 2015 has indicated that the audit process of financing and expenditure declaration of political parties is reflecting gaps to the access of information of these data. In this context, on September our organization as a promoter of transparency and accountability will address the issue to the judiciary level. AIS director stated for ORA News that: “Political parties are a direct subject of the right to information, therefore is important a legal interpretation of it, in order to create a model of judicial doctrine, which clearly argues whether or not political parties are obliged by the Constitution to be subjected to the right to access of information”

International community has been very committed on the electoral process on June 21, 2015 in its normal proceeding and to not support such phenomena as vote buying. EU Ambassador Mrs. Vlahutin during the II Conference of Electoral Situation Room organized by Soros Foundation for pre- and post-election situation appealed the citizens to denounce any possible form of pressure and attempts of vote buying at: www.zalart.al. Furthermore she confirmed the significance of the elections in achieving political stability and the impact the process would have in the European Integration of the country.

The local elections of 21 June 2015 for the first time will be monitored and evaluated by a coalition of seven Albanian non-governmental organizations which have created an electoral situation room in order to coordinate the information and expertise about the election process. Albanian Institute of Science (AIS) as part of this initiative within the project Za’Lart 2015 an online portal, provides the citizens with the opportunity to report online on election problems and defects.

During March-April 2015,

The Concessionary Register introduced 8 more concessionary agreements or extracts of such agreements (amounting to a total of 48 agreements since January). The information published on the Concessionary Register has encouraged the media to better investigate into calls for tenders for concessionary projects. This applies particularly to the local media, which covers closely issues of public services and activities of the local government.

Albanian Institute of Science | Regjistri Koncensionar