PLANNING AND LOCAL GOVERNANCE PROJECT IN ALBANIA

TRANSPARENCY MANAGEMENT OF ECONOMIC FISCAL DISCIPLINE RESPONSIBILITY IMPROVED PUBLIC SOURCES DEVELOPMENT SERVICES

PLGP Core Partner Municipalities 18 PARTNER MUNICIPALITIES PLGP WPS Partner Municipalities 68% of ENTIRE POPULATION Municipality of Kamza

SUPPORT EFFECTIVE GOVERNMENT DECENTRALIZATION POLICIES AND LEGISLATION; AND GREATER PREDICTABILITY, TRANSPARENCY, AND REVENUE 1 POTENTIAL OF LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCES PLGP worked with the Government of Albania (GoA) to advance local government reform and support the GoA’s effort to implement decentralization policies and legislation. PLGP played a major role in contributing to the building blocks for effective local governance in Albania including the drafting of the National Crosscutting Decentralization and Local Governance Strategy and its corresponding laws, policies, and agendas; including the new Organic Law on Local Self-Government; the Formula for the Allocation of the Unconditional Grant to Local Governments with the Ministry of Finance; and Albania’s first comprehensive Law on Local Self-Government Finance (LGFL). From 2015 onward, PLGP focused its efforts to complete the legal framework and strengthen the capacities of the national and local government level to implement decentralization reforms and increase local government resources. PLGP worked to increase LGUs’ revenues, stabilize intergovernmental transfers, and ease access to alternative financing and local borrowing. PLGP understood that decentralization in Albania could not be successfully achieved without an accompanying decentralization of fiscal allocations. PLGP has made substantive contributions to fiscal decentralization efforts by working with the Ministry of Finance and Economy (MoFE) to craft legislation and providing timely, accurate financial information to support evidence-based decision-making.

• Assisted the preparation of Tirana Water Utility Five-Year Business Plan and Tariff Adjustment Plan that served as the basis for negotiating an ~$37 million Capital Investment Program with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development • Established and institutionalized 15 Citizen Advisory Panels (CAPs) to regularly consult with municipal officials on issues such as taxes, annual budgets and city development • Established 5 One-Stop Shops in Korca, Fier, Berat, Saranda, and Patos to deliver substantially more efficient and responsive administrative services. This model has been scaled across 50 municipalities in Albania • Scorecards Feedback from influenced the substantial improvement of community resources including upgraded rural roads in Elbasan, Fier, and construction of social housing for vulnerable in Patos (photo and cleaning and maintenance of irrigation channels in Fier, and Shkodra. (Photo Below)

• Quality Service Improvement Program (QSIP) has been implemented in 5 municipalities to improve service delivery in key areas including irrigation and drainage. The process included assessment analyses and action plans on irrigation and drainage service in municipalities of Fier, Elbasan, Patos, Kucove and Lushnja.

As a result of QSIP action planning in the municipalities of Elbasan, Fier, Kucova, and Patos, drainage and irrigation has increased by 69.6% from 16,155 to 27,404 hectares (Ha). The improved service is affecting 37,884 farmers’ families giving access to drainage and irrigation.

STRENGTHEN THE CAPABILITIES TO PLAN AND MANAGE URBAN AND REGIONAL GROWTH and 4 PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PLANNING AND IMPLEMENTATION

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INTERNATIONAL PARTNERS/COLLABORATORS

• Albanian American Development Foundation • Austrian Development Cooperation • Council of Europe • Embassy of Slovenia in Albania / Center for European Perspective Slovenia • European Bank for Reconstruction and Development • European Union Delegation in Albania • German Federal Enterprise for International Cooperation • Network of Associations of Local Authorities of South-East Europe • Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe • Peace Corps Albania • Swedish International Development Agency • Swiss Development Cooperation / Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs • Trans Adriatic Pipeline • UN Women • United Nation Development Program • World Bank

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