Albania
Introduction
In the six years since democracy came to Albania, environmental NGOs have tried to play an active role in the changes that are affecting Albanian society. This is particularly evident with respect to building a civil society and developing a mutually beneficial relationship between the Albanian people and their government. In the process, the environmental movement is attempting to become better organized, for only through better organization can NGOs effectively solve Albania's environmental problems during this period of transition.
Organizational Characteristics
Albanian environmental groups appeared for the first time after the overthrow of the totalitarian regime, when democracy created conditions favorable for nurturing and expanding networks of nongovernmental organizations. Within this framework, dozens of NGOs focusing on environmental protection have been set up since 1991. Initially, most NGOs were established in Tirana, Albania's capital, and their members were limited to specialists in fields related to the environmental sciences: biology, chemistry, geography. But more recently NGOs have been established with broad-based memberships involving students and the general public, and in 1994-95, a large number of NGOs were established outside Tirana, especially in districts with acute environmental problems, such as Shkodra, Korca, Pogradec and Elbasan. According to the most current lists, the number of environmental NGOs in Albania stands at 52, including the independent district branches of national NGOs.
Most NGOs in Albania are small groups of up to 100 people, though groups with hundreds or even thousands of members do exist. Small organizations seem flexible enough to operate effectively, whereas larger organizations seem to have inherited the old mentality of the communist regime and find it difficult to function efficiently in the "new" Albania. Whatever the size, according to Albanian law all of these organizations are considered NGOs once they have been registered. NGOs can be either grassroots organizations or professional ones, national or local. Local NGOs are sometimes registered branches of national organizations.
Activities
Most Albanian environmental NGOs are involved with environmental education, nature conservation, and/or increasing public awareness and involvement. These activities focus on students and teachers, and are also related to the dissemination of environmental information.
Financial Status
Most Albanian NGOs are very poor and operate under very unstable financial conditions. Legislation allowing government support does not yet apply, so national funding is not yet a significant source of NGO support. Foreign donors are the main source of funding.
Needs and Problems
The main problems facing the environmental movement in Albania are inexperienced management and members, lack of expertise on specific topics, and lack of financial and material resources.
Cooperation
Increased NGO development and the severity of certain environmental problems have elevated the need for cooperation among environmental NGOs. Relationships between NGOs, both at the local and national levels, are based on personal contacts, while contacts with international groups are based on information exchange. There are a few cases where international NGOs have provided Albanian NGOs with human resources or a small amount of financial support, but this does not occur on a regular basis. The issue of cooperation remains the most important for NGOs at the national and regional levels, and transboundary issues such as Ohrid Lake (on the border with FYR Macedonia) are becoming more important in the NGO community. There have been attempts to create a coordination center for environmental NGOs, and some successful campaigns involving NGO cooperation have already been conducted, such as cleaning the beach at Golem-Kavaja and raising public awareness about the need to protect Ohrid Lake.
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