Implementing regional development in Albania

Abstract

policy in Albania.  
The paper draws a distinction between decentralization and regional development policy. Regional development 
does not simply involve a reactive transfer of resources between regions; rather, they have clear long-term 
regional economic development aims and explicit spatial objectives and involve active policy interventions at the 
regional level. The main characteristics of regional policies are that they are pro-active socio-economic 
development policies with a specific regional focus.  
The main conclusion of this paper is that Regional development policy should be designed and implemented in 
close coordination not only with decentralization reform (and eventually administrative-territorial reform) but also 
with other major national policies and reforms.  
In Albania the preparation of strategies for decentralization on the regional level and the design of regional 
policies required significant time; reaching political consensus and implementing the process were not always 
straightforward and positive results were not always immediately achieved.