FREEDOM OF ASSOCIATION
The Civil Society Organisations Sustainability Index 2021 Report for Albania concludes that the overall sustainability of the civil society sector remained unchanged in 2021, although there were slight deteriorations in the areas of legal environment, advocacy and public image. Financial viability, organisational capacity, service delivery and sector infrastructure, on the other hand, remained unchanged. Financial viability remains the weakest dimension of sustainability for CSOs in Albania, while advocacy remains the strongest, despite its slight deterioration in 2021. The public image of the CSO sector was another dimension that deteriorated slightly in 2021. This was mainly due to continued attacks by the government and the government-influenced media in recent years. For example, there were reports of vicious campaigns against activists, reporters and civil society, characterised by discriminatory language, misogyny, intimidation, threats and even violence. On a positive note, the public still perceives civil society organisations as the fourth most trusted institution in the country.
FREEDOM OF PEACEFUL ASSEMBLY
In February, supporters of the opposition in Albania protested several times in front of the parliament demanding the resignation of the prime minister over allegations of corruption and mismanagement of the economic crisis. Smoke bombs and fireworks were thrown during the demonstrations, which were organised by the Democratic Party and the Freedom Party. The opposition accused the government of causing a mass exodus of young people and accused the prime minister of being involved in a corruption scandal. Prime Minister Edi Rama denied wrongdoing and said he would answer questions in parliament on 2nd March. The protests disrupted parliamentary sessions and the opposition promised to continue the demonstrations until the prime minister resigns.
During the reporting period, environmentalists in Albania protested against the construction of a new airport near the Vjosë-Nartë lagoon, which is an important bird sanctuary. The activists planted pine trees in Vjosë-Nartë and carried out some cleaning activities before the protest march took place in front of the construction site. The Vlora airport project, which aims to boost tourism, raised concerns that over 200 bird species, including flamingos and pelicans, are at risk during their annual migration. The European Union criticised the project for violating national and international biodiversity laws, while the Bern Convention Committee called for the construction to be suspended. The Swiss company leading the project claimed that the airport's location would not affect the birds' flight paths. At the end of January 2023, the Administrative Court of First Instance declined to consider the lawsuit filed in November 2022 by two environmental organisations claiming the invalidity of the Vlora airport contract.
On 4th January, workers at a garment factory in Bilisht stopped work. The reason for this strike was the dismissal of the head of the sewing workers' union. They claim that the company “Toni Oil” dismissed the union leader after she requested leave on behalf of the workers for the end-of-year holidays. The women at this garment factory have also protested before for wage increases and decent working conditions. Their struggle began a year ago when they boycotted work in order to demand a wage increase, but even more so when they faced difficulties and pressure on their year-long journey to form a union. After the workers' protests and persistence, the company relented, met their demands and reinstated the union president.
On 20th February, activists from the Feminist Collective in Albania and other civil society groups protested in front of the Prosecutor's Office of the Tirana Judicial District over the lack of investigation into the killing of 22-year-old Kenyan Joyce Ayoko Abongo. The activists denounced the fact the lack of reporting on the tragic case and the perceived indifference of the investigating authorities. Civil society activists who participated in the protest expressed concern for the safety of girls and women in the country.
Four months after the previous teachers' strike in October 2022, teachers in Albania resumed their protests on 22nd February, repeating their demands for better working conditions and more funding for scientific research. Students and well-known public figures also joined the protest.
After years of protests and demands for interventions on the Bird Bridge, a Category 1 cultural monument that has been in a damaged state for years, the authorities approved the project for emergency measures on the bridge in February 2023. The youth and residents of Kurbini have been organising protests to protect the bridge since 2021. They have repeatedly expressed that they have been forgotten by the state institutions and they have signed a petition for the protection and restoration of the bridge.
FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION
Media and citizens were kept away from the inauguration of the National Theatre on 21st December as dozens of police surrounded all entrances to the square where the National Theatre was located. Outside the police cordon, citizens protested against the lack of transparency of the National Theatre project and were not allowed to enter the site. The protesters not only challenged the legality and transparency surrounding the construction of the new building, but also portrayed the National Theatre as a symbol of media censorship. Media experts stated that the “private inauguration” was a violation of the right to information and a restriction on free and quality journalistic reporting. According to Blerjana Bino, representative of the SafeJournalists Network in Albania, the impeded access of independent, investigative media or civil society organisations to public information, as in this case, is already a phenomenon confirmed in many independent reports on democracy in Albania.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has called for a swift and thorough investigation into the 25th January attack on Albanian journalist Elvis Hila and his wife. Hila, a reporter for Report TV and Shqiptarja, was targeted after reporting on a man convicted of falsifying court documents. Following threatening phone calls, Hila and his wife were attacked by two men in the town of Lezhë. CPJ has called on Albanian authorities to ensure the safety of the journalist and to bring the perpetrators to justice, stressing that journalists reporting in the public interest must be protected. The attack on the journalist was condemned in the strongest terms by local and international media organisations as well as by the Albanian President. The European Centre for Press and Media Freedom (ECPMF) called the attack shocking, while the Albanian Journalists' Association described it as a criminal act. Journalists in Albania are often pressured by politicians and organised crime, and press freedom in the country has declined in recent years.
Another incident occurred on 8th February when journalists from the investigative television programme Fiks Fare were physically attacked while filming on illegal mining in Albania. Armed men threatened the film crew and tried to confiscate their footage. The President of Albania and the Audiovisual Media Authority condemned the attack. The state police launched an investigation and two suspects were identified. The SafeJournalists Network strongly condemned the violence and called for swift justice and strengthened security measures for journalists.