Parliamentary openness in the region and in Albania
In cooperation with partners from the regional network “ActionSEE”, MJAFT! The movement has prepared a proposal of practical policies in which levels of transparency, openness, and accountability of the legislative power in the West Balkans region were analyzed.
The proposal is a result of a comprehensive research, based on methodology, undertaken by the members of the network ActionSEE in previous months in all West Balkans countries. The aim of the research is to provide an in-depth overview of the situation in the stated areas, to contribute to the quality of reforms in the state administration work, to influence the enhancement of good governance and to help the institutions to effectively implement them in their work. We are of the opinion that these are the objectives that we share with the very institutions comprised in this research.
The proposal for practical policies, with concomitant analyses, is the second document of this type. Last year, too, following the research conducted, members of the network made recommendations for improving the openness of institutions.
On the basis of the results of the research conducted in 2016, policies were developed providing an overview of the situation in the institutions of Albania and the region, including the identified shortcomings and good practices in this area. On the basis of these analyses, last year’s recommendations were made as well as “roadmaps” for the improvement of specific areas covered by the research.
After that, drawing on their work on the findings and results of last year’s research, ActionSEE members have started to improve and adapt research methodology and its indicators, hoping that the new information collected shall contribute to better quality results of the project. The aim of using new and improved indicators is to add new dimensions to the research and a more efficient contribution to strengthen the openness of the institutions in the region.
Backed up by our knowledge, concrete results and analyses of regional openness, believing that the institutions of the parliament led by simply presented and achievable steps aiming to improve the situation in these areas, guided by our work on its improvement, we decided to advocate a higher level of openness on parliaments in the region. Thus, this year’s research has been enriched with indicators advocating a higher standard of proactive transparency.
The openness policy must be the policy of all parliaments in the region; it must be defined as all other important policies and should not be the result of a current decision or current mood of the authorities. Each country in the region has its own specific, political conditions in which it develops its openness, but there can be noticeable room for joint regional action to improve the situation.
Please click on the link for further information: Parliamentary openness in Albania
The Accountability, Technology and Institutional Openness Network in South East Europe – ACTION SEE project is funded by the European Union and is implemented by Metamorphosis Foundation, Westminster Foundation for Democracy, CRTA – Center for Research, Transparency and Accountability, Citizens Association Why not?, Center for Democratic Transition, Open Data Kosovo (ODK) and Levizja Mjaft!.
The views in these papers are sole responsibility of the authors and researchers.