Albanian municipal administrative reform

Albania is considering a second territorial reform within ten years, with a draft law proposing to reduce the number of municipalities from 61 to 46 by merging 15 smaller units into larger neighbors. Critics note that previous reforms in 2014 failed to yield proportional improvements in service quality, with the World Bank reporting that essential services like water, sewage, and education worsened in high-need rural areas. Additionally, local government personnel increased from approximately 19,000 to over 39,000 by 2025, with salaries in some small municipalities consuming over 60% of their budgets.

Assessments of current municipal functionality reveal significant disparities in the ability of local government units to fund and execute legal responsibilities. Data indicates that 42 out of 61 municipalities fail to finance even half of their measurable functions. While Kamza and Tirana show high functionality scores, regions such as Kukës, Vlorë, and Gjirokastër report much lower average functional coverage.

Arbjan Mazniku, co-chairman of the Socialist Commission for Territorial Reform, has further detailed the proposal, stating it aims to increase administrative efficiency by addressing the lack of human and financial resources. Mazniku noted that municipalities such as Rrogozhina and Divjaka lack an urban core, making it difficult to employ necessary staff, such as legal experts, to fulfill their 42 legal functions. He emphasized that the reform is designed for citizens rather than officials, asserting that daily services like road maintenance and cleaning will remain accessible in their current locations, though planning offices would be relocated. The party intends to implement the new map by the upcoming elections.