Country Commitments

Report on OGP by the Albanian Government 

The Republic of Albania confirmed the participation on Open Government Partnership initiative on August 2^nd, 2011, through a letter by the Minister for Innovation and ICT Mr. Genc Pollo where, among other things, he highlighted: "My country has achieved much in the last years in terms of fighting corruption, rendering government more open and transparent to citizens. I am confident that participating in the OGP will enable us to learn from other countries as well as to provide to others our own record of challenges and successes."

The Albanian Prime Minister, Mr. Sali Berisha during the launching ceremony of the OGP initiative in New York on September 21^st, 2011, emphasized that: "Albania is a country that is making serious efforts towards transparent governance. At this Forum, Albania found inspiration and support to implement an action plan that complies with all the engagements arising from the membership agreement."

Among the initiatives undertaken by the Government is the establishment of the Inter-Ministerial Working Group (IWG) by Prime Minister Order (No. 104, dated 28 December 2011), with the primary goal: "Drafting the Albanian Action Plan to the Open Government Partnership".  The chairman of the IWG is Minister Genc Pollo and the members are all Deputy Ministers of the Albanian government, the Prime Minister's adviser for the information society, and the General Director of the National Agency for Information Society. 

This order also creates a Technical Working Group (TWG) with experts, directors or specialists levels, from all ministries and all institutions participating in this group. Besides the technical group, also, it is formed the Technical Secretariat (TS) of the IWG, which plays the role of the coordinator and which revises the action plan. (TS contact below).

During January 2012, all the members of the IWG were introduced with all the materials that describe the OGP program, and the first drafted version of the Albanian OGP Action Plan. The first meeting of the IWG was held end of January to discuss the first draft of OGP Action Plan including the relevant deadlines.  A press release was delivered in this occasion. 

IWG is preparing an acknowledgment and awareness meeting with Non Profit or Non Governmental Organizations operating in Albania related to this matter. The meeting is expected to occur within the first two weeks of February 2012. 

Some of the Albanian Government initiatives for Open Government, since the establishment of the IWG can be mentioned:

• Some of ministries will publish in their websites a link dedicated to the OGP initiative and Albania’s commitments; 
• The Ministry of Finance published online in the Treasury website, all expenses incurred during a day. This example is to be followed by all ministries and their subordinate agencies.
• Any act of central administration, concerning control and audit, will be published in the official website of each central institution. 
• Digitalization of State Exam tests;
• Establishment of an Electronic System Management Information (EMIS) in undergraduate and graduate education; 
• Establishment of an Electronic Management System of State Matura and admissions to universities;
• Digitalization of diploma matriculation (State Matura and University Degrees);
• A medication list prices is published on the Ministry of Health’s website along with a basic package of primary health services; 
• All type of contracts for each type of health institution with appropriate services are posted in the website of the Institute for Health Care Insurance;
• Installation of electronic system in all court records;
• Digitalization of notaries records ;
• Online access on the Property Register; 
• Digitalizing the National Inspection System;
• Establishment of the online auction system; 
• Digitalization of customs and taxation system including interactive websites that allow taxpayers to make all transactions online:
• The establishment of electronic system to monitor effectively the customs during duty;
• Online publication of complaints/reports;
• A Facebook profile  “OGP Albania” is launched;