[REVISION HISTORY]

Albania advances EU accession and territorial reform

Updated 34 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-10-13 10:16 UTC → 2026-10-13 17:31 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Albania ~~Parliament approves~~ advances EU accession and territorial reform ~~to 46 units~~

The Albanian Parliament has officially approved a new administrative-territorial reform, passing the measure with 85 votes to reduce the number of municipalities from 61 to 46. The reform involves merging 15 units into larger entities, such as the merger of Korçë and Maliq, which will become the country’s largest municipality by area. Supporters argue these changes will increase financial stability and align with EU integration goals, with implementation scheduled for the 2027 local elections. The approval followed a marathon 14-hour parliamentary session marked by physical altercations, including deputies throwing water, bottles, and eggs toward government officials. The Democratic Party has condemned the reform as “political revenge” and an “anti-citizen act,” with leaders signaling intentions to challenge the law in the Constitutional Court. Following the passage of Law No. 100/2026, the Socialist Party has ~~formally~~ requested the establishment of a 16-member Special Parliamentary Commission to oversee the second phase of the reform. This commission ~~would~~ will have a nine-month mandate to draft legislation addressing ~~the remaining three pillars:~~ local ~~functions and~~ functions, services, ~~local government~~ finances, and regional development. ~~The goal is to ensure the new municipalities are functional by the 2027 elections through deepened administrative and fiscal decentralization.~~ Internal friction persists within the ruling Socialist Party, as some deputies have expressed dissatisfaction with the reform ~~draft.~~ draft, prompting Prime Minister Edi Rama to call for an expanded meeting of the Parliamentary Group to address party discipline. In a related development for Albania’s international standing, the country reached a milestone in its European Union accession process by closing Chapter 20, regarding ‘Enterprise and Industrial Policy’. During an intergovernmental conference in Luxembourg, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos expressed support for Albania’s goal to close all negotiating chapters by the end of 2027, noting the process must remain a national project involving the government, opposition, and civil society.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.