Albania’s Open Government Partnership Action Plan: Promising Commitments but Limited Participation
Tirana, Albania - The Albanian government has released its latest Open Government Partnership (OGP) National Action Plan for 2020-2022, which includes several promising commitments aimed at increasing transparency and combating corruption. However, experts have raised concerns about the limited participation of civil society in the planning process.
Promising Commitments
The plan includes commitments to:
- Implement integrity plans
- Create a beneficial ownership register
- Expand access to legal aid
- Digitize public services
These initiatives are seen as positive steps towards greater transparency and accountability. The commitment to implement integrity plans is particularly significant, as it could help tackle corruption. Similarly, the beneficial ownership register could help address issues like money laundering.
Limited Participation of Civil Society
However, critics argue that the government did not adequately engage with civil society during the planning process. According to Merita Toska of CO-Plan, a local non-governmental organization:
“We were only consulted after the fact. Our comments were reflected in the commitments, but we had no real say in shaping them.”
The Independent Reporting Mechanism (IRM), an independent observer of OGP processes, also expressed concerns about the limited participation of civil society.
“We requested evidence of a dedicated multistakeholder forum, but none was provided,” said Evis Qaja, government point of contact.
Concerns and Uncertainties
Despite these limitations, some commitments have more modest potential for results. For example, the plan’s focus on digitizing public services may not lead to significant improvements in service delivery, given that it only prioritizes which services to digitize rather than how to improve them.
The Albanian government has committed to updating its Ministry of Justice website as part of the plan, which is seen as a positive step towards greater transparency. However, some experts have raised concerns about the lack of clear milestones and timelines for implementation.
Conclusion
While the OGP action plan includes some promising commitments, its limited participation of civil society raises questions about its effectiveness in promoting greater transparency and accountability. To truly achieve these goals, it is essential that the government engages more meaningfully with civil society stakeholders in future planning processes.