Papers by Mandrit Kamolli
CSDG, 2021
This study analyses the latest trends with regard to the role of the Islamist propaganda in drivi... more This study analyses the latest trends with regard to the role of the Islamist propaganda in driving radicalization and violent extremism (VE) in Albania. It first examines VE in Albania and the policy action and measures undertaken to prevent and counter violent extremism (P/CVE), followed by a closer look at the role and influence of propaganda, as one of the key radicalization drivers. The aim of the study was to generate data-driven research to support the Albanian CVE Center efforts to develop and deploy effective strategic communications to P/CVE.
OSCE - KAS, 2020
After the fall of the communist regime, Albanian authorities have adopted fragmented transitional... more After the fall of the communist regime, Albanian authorities have adopted fragmented transitional justice measures including trials, compensation of victims, and access to secret police file. It is argued that measures to deal with the communist past in Albania have produced limited results because the process has been politicized and a lack of will to deal with the past has persisted. On the contrary there is an apathy and indifference to address the legacies of communist past. No research has been undertaken to study the reparation of former political prisoners as one the key pillars of transitional justice.
This research focuses on the reparation of former political prisoners in post-communist Albania. Through interviews with former political prisoners, this research tries to explore the victims’ needs, the measure taken until now to repair victims and the future implication to address the victim’s needs. The paper analyses the role that financial compensation, access to files, apology and forgiveness, justice and socio-political empowerment plays heal former political prisoners.
In the current context, when countries are faced with new and complex security threats, deliverin... more In the current context, when countries are faced with new and complex security threats, delivering security timely end effectively, while maintaining the right balance between security and human rights and adhering to the democratic principles of transparency and accountability, has become more and more challenging.
With the aim to address those challenges the EU Commission adopted in April 2015 the European Agenda on Security (EAS).1 The EAS prioritises terrorism, organised crime and cybercrime as interlinked areas with a strong cross-border dimension. The EAS sets out five key principles:
- Ensure full compliance with fundamental rights;
- Guarantee more transparency, accountability and democratic control;
- Ensure better application and implementation of existing EU legal instruments;
- Provide a more joined-up inter-agency and a cross-sectorial approach;
- Bring together all internal and external dimensions of security.
Albania is an EU candidate country and is waiting to start membership negotiations depending on its overall progress and five key priorities: (1) fight against corruption and (2) organised crime, (3) reform of the judiciary and (4) of the public administration, (5) and protection of human rights.
Except for the public administration reform, the remaining four priorities are related to the Chapters 23 and 24 negotiations chapters, namely justice, fundamental rights, freedom and security. In order to deliver on these priorities Albania has initiated legal and institutional reforms that aim to curb corruption, tackle organised crime and address the threat from terrorism.
Against this setting this publication examines how particular aspects of security, such as effectiveness of policies and legislation and transparency and accountability of institutions reflect the current EU policies and approaches. This publication aims to contribute to the overall efforts of ensuring that security in Albania is delivered by adhering to the EU standards and policies.
Botimi “Bashkëpunimi gjyqësor rajonal në çështjet penale: Pasqyra e praktikave krahasuese të vend... more Botimi “Bashkëpunimi gjyqësor rajonal në çështjet penale: Pasqyra e praktikave krahasuese të vendeve të Ballkanit Perëndimor” prezanton një pjesë të projektit “Forcimi i bashkëpunimit gjyqësor rajonal përmes qasjes multi-sektoriale” të zbatuar nga CEDEM dhe mbështetur nga Programi për Sundim të Ligjit në Evropën Juglindore i Fondacionit Konrad Adenauer.
This policy paper explores the conceptual and structural challenges of developing and implementin... more This policy paper explores the conceptual and structural challenges of developing and implementing CT and CVE policies by the Albanian government over the last two decades. The analysis focuses on the CT measures, recent shift to CVE policy, the challenges faced, their design, implementation, and monitoring, flaws and their alignment with EU policies and approach. It also focuses on the effectiveness of Albania’s objectives on preventing CT and CVE by assessing the legislative framework, actors, actions and the outcome.
The strategic approach is crucial for setting priorities, focusing energies and resources strengthen operations, ensuring that government actors and other stakeholders work on objectives that lead toward common goals and ensuring assessment mechanism that adjusts the institution’s directions in response to a changing environment.
The research shows that over the years, the Albania’s approach to CT and CVE policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation has been fragmented, inconsistent and has suffered from the lack of sufficient institutional capacities and expertise. Furthermore, the policy architecture has been poorly aligned with the EU’s policy approach and measures.
So far, policies in the field of CT and CVE have not been formulated based on a careful and in-depth evaluation of the factual situation, institutional capacities, financial resources, demands and political vulnerabilities. Similarly, the strategies have not taken in consideration the actual institutional capabilities and implementation challenges, leading therefore to patchy and inconsistent implementation.
Judicial response to terrorism and violent extremism has confronted Albanian prosecution and courts with challenges conveying the message that there is the need for improvements in the justice system to better respond to such complex cases. Additionally, in the face of potential threats, it is important to build law enforcement’s capacities that are able to prevent and tackle terrorism and VEm at the grass-root level.
While CVE currently is stated to be at the central focus of the government, it is necessary to rethink and revisit the policy approach to in order to further streamline it. Currently the implementation within the national institutional frameworks is faced with numerous limitations, stemming from the complexity of the phenomenon of violent extremism itself and the multidisciplinary nature of the policy response.
CSDG Albania, 2018
Evidence from international reports and law enforcement statistics show that the Albanian organis... more Evidence from international reports and law enforcement statistics show that the Albanian organised crime has expanded significantly its activity both in Albania and abroad. The Albanian organised crime networks are now able to conduct large scale transcontinental operations to shipping drugs, control gross and retail drug markets in Europe, and undertake successful money laundering operations by using Albania as a platform.
The Albanian authorities have made efforts to stamp down on the organised crime by improving the legal and institutional infrastructures and capacities but so far with no tangible results. The large numbers of arrests and imprisonments both in Albania and abroad have not deterred the criminal networks from upscale their activity.
To the contrary, the organised crime networks have made inroads into the country’s economic and political structures. Evidence from law enforcement and media reports show that organised crime networks have invested in many lucrative sectors of the economy and are using their companies to win public contracts. Moreover, in addition to the economic infrastructure, the organised crime networks have also penetrated the administrative and political realms, as proved by the need to adopt specific legislation to addressing the problem.
As the organised crime problem has grown up to become a central socio-economic and political issue, the approach to tackling this problem has not evolved. Albania policy to tackling organised crime remains anchored on the repression and is projected to remain so as the establishment of the Special Anti-Corruption and Organised Crime Structure is largely regarded as the solution to the problem.
While repression thorough law enforcement and criminal justice action are vital in tackling organised crime, it will not be sufficient and should be combined with the administrative approach. Adopted initially in the United States during the 1980s, the administrative approach has been applied in the EU member states for over two decades, and more lately has been adopted as a policy at the EU level.
The administrative approach is based on the prevention of organised crime by denying the use of the legal administrative infrastructure to expand their activities and on the multi-agency coordination of interventions to disrupt and repress organized crime.
While some administrative tools are present within the Albanian legal system, they have largely been ineffective, mainly due to the lack of an administrative approach as an alternative policy to crime control outside the criminal justice system and the lack of coordination between the administration and the criminal justice system.
The adoption of the administrative approach as a policy at the EU level and the successful implementation of this approach in EU member states provide an opportunity for considering the possibility of introducing such approach in the arsenal of Albania’s counter organise crime tools.
Political parties are considered the cornerstone of democracy, helping to ensure that there is an... more Political parties are considered the cornerstone of democracy, helping to ensure that there is an informed and engaged citizenry. Public and private funding is essential for political parties to survive, compete fairly, and perform their democratic functions, both during and between election campaigns. However, the involvement of money in political party systems and campaigns also poses serious risks of corruption and undue influence 1. Transparency is vital in order to mitigate such risks. Political party finance refers to the role of money in politics, which encompasses a wide range of activities and roles. 2 This means the internal financial practices of political parties –fundraising, spending, reporting, and campaign money. 3 Political finance issues are often twofold: arising from errs by both the legislator and the regulator. This paper will identify the issues associated with political party financial transparency in Albania and incite further discussion around this underdeveloped topic. To this end we will analyze the development of political finance regulation in Albania focusing on the loopholes and discrepancies between law and practice, and then discuss, generally, what experts have identified as the most common challenges for political finance legislation and implementation.
Drafts by Mandrit Kamolli
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Papers by Mandrit Kamolli
This research focuses on the reparation of former political prisoners in post-communist Albania. Through interviews with former political prisoners, this research tries to explore the victims’ needs, the measure taken until now to repair victims and the future implication to address the victim’s needs. The paper analyses the role that financial compensation, access to files, apology and forgiveness, justice and socio-political empowerment plays heal former political prisoners.
With the aim to address those challenges the EU Commission adopted in April 2015 the European Agenda on Security (EAS).1 The EAS prioritises terrorism, organised crime and cybercrime as interlinked areas with a strong cross-border dimension. The EAS sets out five key principles:
- Ensure full compliance with fundamental rights;
- Guarantee more transparency, accountability and democratic control;
- Ensure better application and implementation of existing EU legal instruments;
- Provide a more joined-up inter-agency and a cross-sectorial approach;
- Bring together all internal and external dimensions of security.
Albania is an EU candidate country and is waiting to start membership negotiations depending on its overall progress and five key priorities: (1) fight against corruption and (2) organised crime, (3) reform of the judiciary and (4) of the public administration, (5) and protection of human rights.
Except for the public administration reform, the remaining four priorities are related to the Chapters 23 and 24 negotiations chapters, namely justice, fundamental rights, freedom and security. In order to deliver on these priorities Albania has initiated legal and institutional reforms that aim to curb corruption, tackle organised crime and address the threat from terrorism.
Against this setting this publication examines how particular aspects of security, such as effectiveness of policies and legislation and transparency and accountability of institutions reflect the current EU policies and approaches. This publication aims to contribute to the overall efforts of ensuring that security in Albania is delivered by adhering to the EU standards and policies.
The strategic approach is crucial for setting priorities, focusing energies and resources strengthen operations, ensuring that government actors and other stakeholders work on objectives that lead toward common goals and ensuring assessment mechanism that adjusts the institution’s directions in response to a changing environment.
The research shows that over the years, the Albania’s approach to CT and CVE policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation has been fragmented, inconsistent and has suffered from the lack of sufficient institutional capacities and expertise. Furthermore, the policy architecture has been poorly aligned with the EU’s policy approach and measures.
So far, policies in the field of CT and CVE have not been formulated based on a careful and in-depth evaluation of the factual situation, institutional capacities, financial resources, demands and political vulnerabilities. Similarly, the strategies have not taken in consideration the actual institutional capabilities and implementation challenges, leading therefore to patchy and inconsistent implementation.
Judicial response to terrorism and violent extremism has confronted Albanian prosecution and courts with challenges conveying the message that there is the need for improvements in the justice system to better respond to such complex cases. Additionally, in the face of potential threats, it is important to build law enforcement’s capacities that are able to prevent and tackle terrorism and VEm at the grass-root level.
While CVE currently is stated to be at the central focus of the government, it is necessary to rethink and revisit the policy approach to in order to further streamline it. Currently the implementation within the national institutional frameworks is faced with numerous limitations, stemming from the complexity of the phenomenon of violent extremism itself and the multidisciplinary nature of the policy response.
The Albanian authorities have made efforts to stamp down on the organised crime by improving the legal and institutional infrastructures and capacities but so far with no tangible results. The large numbers of arrests and imprisonments both in Albania and abroad have not deterred the criminal networks from upscale their activity.
To the contrary, the organised crime networks have made inroads into the country’s economic and political structures. Evidence from law enforcement and media reports show that organised crime networks have invested in many lucrative sectors of the economy and are using their companies to win public contracts. Moreover, in addition to the economic infrastructure, the organised crime networks have also penetrated the administrative and political realms, as proved by the need to adopt specific legislation to addressing the problem.
As the organised crime problem has grown up to become a central socio-economic and political issue, the approach to tackling this problem has not evolved. Albania policy to tackling organised crime remains anchored on the repression and is projected to remain so as the establishment of the Special Anti-Corruption and Organised Crime Structure is largely regarded as the solution to the problem.
While repression thorough law enforcement and criminal justice action are vital in tackling organised crime, it will not be sufficient and should be combined with the administrative approach. Adopted initially in the United States during the 1980s, the administrative approach has been applied in the EU member states for over two decades, and more lately has been adopted as a policy at the EU level.
The administrative approach is based on the prevention of organised crime by denying the use of the legal administrative infrastructure to expand their activities and on the multi-agency coordination of interventions to disrupt and repress organized crime.
While some administrative tools are present within the Albanian legal system, they have largely been ineffective, mainly due to the lack of an administrative approach as an alternative policy to crime control outside the criminal justice system and the lack of coordination between the administration and the criminal justice system.
The adoption of the administrative approach as a policy at the EU level and the successful implementation of this approach in EU member states provide an opportunity for considering the possibility of introducing such approach in the arsenal of Albania’s counter organise crime tools.
Drafts by Mandrit Kamolli
This research focuses on the reparation of former political prisoners in post-communist Albania. Through interviews with former political prisoners, this research tries to explore the victims’ needs, the measure taken until now to repair victims and the future implication to address the victim’s needs. The paper analyses the role that financial compensation, access to files, apology and forgiveness, justice and socio-political empowerment plays heal former political prisoners.
With the aim to address those challenges the EU Commission adopted in April 2015 the European Agenda on Security (EAS).1 The EAS prioritises terrorism, organised crime and cybercrime as interlinked areas with a strong cross-border dimension. The EAS sets out five key principles:
- Ensure full compliance with fundamental rights;
- Guarantee more transparency, accountability and democratic control;
- Ensure better application and implementation of existing EU legal instruments;
- Provide a more joined-up inter-agency and a cross-sectorial approach;
- Bring together all internal and external dimensions of security.
Albania is an EU candidate country and is waiting to start membership negotiations depending on its overall progress and five key priorities: (1) fight against corruption and (2) organised crime, (3) reform of the judiciary and (4) of the public administration, (5) and protection of human rights.
Except for the public administration reform, the remaining four priorities are related to the Chapters 23 and 24 negotiations chapters, namely justice, fundamental rights, freedom and security. In order to deliver on these priorities Albania has initiated legal and institutional reforms that aim to curb corruption, tackle organised crime and address the threat from terrorism.
Against this setting this publication examines how particular aspects of security, such as effectiveness of policies and legislation and transparency and accountability of institutions reflect the current EU policies and approaches. This publication aims to contribute to the overall efforts of ensuring that security in Albania is delivered by adhering to the EU standards and policies.
The strategic approach is crucial for setting priorities, focusing energies and resources strengthen operations, ensuring that government actors and other stakeholders work on objectives that lead toward common goals and ensuring assessment mechanism that adjusts the institution’s directions in response to a changing environment.
The research shows that over the years, the Albania’s approach to CT and CVE policy formulation, implementation, monitoring and evaluation has been fragmented, inconsistent and has suffered from the lack of sufficient institutional capacities and expertise. Furthermore, the policy architecture has been poorly aligned with the EU’s policy approach and measures.
So far, policies in the field of CT and CVE have not been formulated based on a careful and in-depth evaluation of the factual situation, institutional capacities, financial resources, demands and political vulnerabilities. Similarly, the strategies have not taken in consideration the actual institutional capabilities and implementation challenges, leading therefore to patchy and inconsistent implementation.
Judicial response to terrorism and violent extremism has confronted Albanian prosecution and courts with challenges conveying the message that there is the need for improvements in the justice system to better respond to such complex cases. Additionally, in the face of potential threats, it is important to build law enforcement’s capacities that are able to prevent and tackle terrorism and VEm at the grass-root level.
While CVE currently is stated to be at the central focus of the government, it is necessary to rethink and revisit the policy approach to in order to further streamline it. Currently the implementation within the national institutional frameworks is faced with numerous limitations, stemming from the complexity of the phenomenon of violent extremism itself and the multidisciplinary nature of the policy response.
The Albanian authorities have made efforts to stamp down on the organised crime by improving the legal and institutional infrastructures and capacities but so far with no tangible results. The large numbers of arrests and imprisonments both in Albania and abroad have not deterred the criminal networks from upscale their activity.
To the contrary, the organised crime networks have made inroads into the country’s economic and political structures. Evidence from law enforcement and media reports show that organised crime networks have invested in many lucrative sectors of the economy and are using their companies to win public contracts. Moreover, in addition to the economic infrastructure, the organised crime networks have also penetrated the administrative and political realms, as proved by the need to adopt specific legislation to addressing the problem.
As the organised crime problem has grown up to become a central socio-economic and political issue, the approach to tackling this problem has not evolved. Albania policy to tackling organised crime remains anchored on the repression and is projected to remain so as the establishment of the Special Anti-Corruption and Organised Crime Structure is largely regarded as the solution to the problem.
While repression thorough law enforcement and criminal justice action are vital in tackling organised crime, it will not be sufficient and should be combined with the administrative approach. Adopted initially in the United States during the 1980s, the administrative approach has been applied in the EU member states for over two decades, and more lately has been adopted as a policy at the EU level.
The administrative approach is based on the prevention of organised crime by denying the use of the legal administrative infrastructure to expand their activities and on the multi-agency coordination of interventions to disrupt and repress organized crime.
While some administrative tools are present within the Albanian legal system, they have largely been ineffective, mainly due to the lack of an administrative approach as an alternative policy to crime control outside the criminal justice system and the lack of coordination between the administration and the criminal justice system.
The adoption of the administrative approach as a policy at the EU level and the successful implementation of this approach in EU member states provide an opportunity for considering the possibility of introducing such approach in the arsenal of Albania’s counter organise crime tools.