Albania's Road Toward Integrated and Accession into the European Union
Abstract
The fall of Berlin Wall in late 1980s and collapse of communism dramatically changed the geo-political landscape of Europe. Albania, however, after more than four decades of one of the most centralized and repressive regimes in the world, was the last nation in the Balkans to undertake the transition from totalitarianism to democracy. Albania began to establish political and economic relations with Euro-Atlantic organizations as the way of making the transition to democracy easier. Membership in North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the European Union (EU) was a long-term objective of Albania's new political leadership. After Albania gained full membership in NATO in 2009, accession into the EU remains the main goal for the country. This thesis analyzes Albania's road toward integration into the EU using a longitudinal comparative case study design to compare Albania in 1990 with Albania of 2013. Using the EU's Copenhagen Criteria as a basis for comparison, it answers the question of how the efforts to meet the EU accession criteria have changed Albania. The research shows that while Albania applied for EU membership based on domestic desires to overcome its communist past and embrace the democratic values of the EU, measures taken to adapt to the Copenhagen Criteria produced significant changes in Albania socially, economically and politically. This case study provides a blueprint for military stabilization and assistance efforts that result in a state with a democratic form of government that is a partner on the global stage, and integrated into the liberal Western economic, social, and political system.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 13, 2014
- Accession Number
- ADA611713
Entities
People
- Engjell Shehu
Organizations
- United States Army Command and General Staff College