ESIS extension / Key Person Contacts and Organisations / Albania / Summary Report (1999

February 2001

Albania
Summary Report (1999 - 2000)

1. Overview

Albania is characterized by an unstable institutional situation during its 10 years of transition. Several political and governmental changes have happened since 1992. Since 1993, the main focus of governmental reforms was the Privatization process. Up to 1999 no company of the strategic sectors was privatized. Sectors like telecommunications, energy, and mines were all state owned. Up to 1999 very little was discussed about the importance of information society in Albania.

In March 1999, the Albanian Center for Economic Research represented Albania in the ESIS II project. Since that period and now several changes have been undertaken in both the institutional and legal framework, resulting in changes in the concepts and definitions of information society, as well as in importance in development of the society. (See Regulatory Developments Report for Albania January 2001) Since June 1999, several activities were organized in order to promote the role of information society and its importance in society development.

It was only during the second half of 1999 when the government concretised the privatization project of the first company of the strategic sectors (telecommunications), AMC company. The entire privatization process of AMC Company was accomplished by July 2000.

Since the ESIS II project, the ACER has held several meetings in governmental and non-governmental structures, in order to promote this project, as well as to involve as many organizations and institutions in it as possible. From these meetings, we find that the level of access in Internet and e-mail services is very low in governmental structures (taking into consideration all ministries).

2. Key Person Contacts

Up to now 29 key persons are involved in IS projects and IS promotion actions. These persons mainly direct or coordinate IS projects in Albania.

Some of them represent the government such as Mr. E. Hoxha, Department Director in Ministry of Labor and Social affairs, Mr.V. Pano, Director of Privatization of strategic sectors in Ministry of Public Economy and Privatization, Mr. A.Minxhozi, Director of research Department at the Ministry of Education and Science (aminxhozi@mash.gov.al)

Some others represent ISP companies briko@abissnet.com.al; rezi@albnet.net; info@icc-al.org; which contribute to the development of the of Information Society in Albania. These companies provide Internet Services mainly in Tirana and in some nearest cities looking for further extension in the future. Main target groups are both governmental and non-governmental structures.

During the first quarter of 2000, 9 new entries of key person contacts were made. Among them are:

Mr. Petri Deti, deputy General Director of Albtelecom (deti@iname.com), leader of the project "Establishing Back Bone Internet Network as well as a national ISP in Albania", conducting the project, representing the Albanian counterpart, versus Italian one, represented by Alcatel company;

Mr. Agim Deva, executive director of Rural Development Research Center (rcrd@icc.al.eu.org), who is the leader of the project "Albanian Farmer newspaper", producing the newspaper, as well as managing the delivery of newspaper to the end users.

Mr. Alban Karapici, co-ordinator of the Internet Back Bone project in Albania (akarapici@hotmail.com), who is managing the work in the field, providing the necessary equipment, selecting the necessary human source to be trained in this field, etc.;

Ms. Elona Caushi, assistant co-ordinator of TIPS project (tips@icc.eu.org.al), who is assisting in gathering the necessary information, and trying to identify the target groups to disseminate the information gathered.;

Mr. Besnik Pani, TIPS project Co-ordinator (tips@icc.eu.org.al), who is representing Albanian counterpart in the project and co-ordinating all the work in fulfilling project objectives;

Mr. Ubal Walter, TIPS project Director, International Operative Center (tipsioc@tips.org);

Ms. Etleva Vertopi, UNIFEM representative at UNDP program (etleva.vertopi@undp.org);

Mr. Emmanuel Vlachiogannis, Deputy President of Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Thesaloniki (empsylth@compulinkgr).

Other new entry made during the following months were:

Mr. Geron Kamberi, (gkamberi@osca.soros.al) Director of Information and Libraries Department at SOROS Foundation in Albania, who is managing the project on informatizing of the libraries network in Albania, as well as some other projects on Information society dealing with the health administration, etc.;

Mr. Vojo Spahiu, (vspahiu@ert.gov.al) Member of the board of directors at the Telecommunication Regulatory Entity (TRE), Director of Radio-communications and Internet at the TRE, administrator of the national domain .AL, as well as presidency advisor on issues of telecommunications. Ms. Spahiu has organised the seminar on issues of Internet service providers, with the all ISPs that are currently operating in Albania.

Ms. Alma Sevrani (asevrani@instat.gov.al), Project co-ordinator at the Institute of Statistics of Albania, who is managing the project of database on information society.

Mr. Agim Bufi, (abufi@hotmail.com), who is coordinating both "Sinfoal" project and the "ABC network" project in Albania, which is a regional project extended to Balkan countries.

3. Organizations

Up to now, 50 organisations are included in the ESIS database. These organisations represent leading organizations and coordinating organizations. Among leading organisations, 19 of them are leading the projects, of which over 38% of them are Chambers of Commerce and Industry, professional associations, etc. Regarding the types of co-ordinating organisations, 30% of them are federal and state ministry, Agency, Department.

Out of these organizations, 27 have been included during the first quarter of 2000. These organisations are directly or indirectly involved in IS projects/promotion actions included in the database.

Structure of organizations	Types of leading organizations		Types of coordinating organizations
International public body (EC, UN organization, etc.)	3	16.67%	1	5.00%
Federal and State Ministry, Agency, Department	3	16.67%	6	30.00%
Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Professional association, Science park, Technopole, ..	7	38.89%	5	25.00%
Public or Private telecom operator	1	5.56%	1	5.00%
Public utilities provider (except telecom operator)	1	5.56%	1	5.00%
IT company (Hardware manufacturer, IT consulting, Software House)			1	5.00%
Social organization, NGO	3	16.67%	4	20.00%
Other type of organization	1	5.56%	1	5.00%

Most of them have a project which is the only one project, not an umbrella project or an under project. But they operate with other organizations that in general provide for them non- ICT Services or funds.

As it was mentioned above, most of the organizations are NGO-s. Maybe these organizations are more affected by the lack of information in Albania and in the same time they know very well the importance of it and of the information society.

Regarding governmental structures, the Ministry of Information, which was under the control of the Council of Ministries, has existed until November 2000. It had a project on extending the informatization process through the ministry as well as to the press offices of the government in several districts of Albania in order to increase the transparency of state toward the general public in terms of their duties and how are they proceeding with them. This ministry was missing in the new government created in November 2000. Thus, Minister M. Ulqini and his assistant no longer continue to coordinate the project.

Other governmental organizations such as the Ministry of Education and Science (www.mash.gov.al), the Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Trade (www.mbet.gov.al), and the Ministry of Public Economy and Privatization (www.mepp.gov.al) are engaged with some investment projects for preparing the necessary infrastructure for IS development.

Please note that this report has been prepared under the sole responsibility of the ESIS II contractors.
It does not necessarily reflect the views of the Commission, nor does the Commission accept responsibility for the accuracy or completeness of information contained herein.
The ESIS Team of contractors welcomes any additional information or corrections.