Breaking the frontiers - paving the way for the EU integration: the case of Albania

The enlargement of the EU to the Balkans is a great opportunity for Albania to generate sustainable development and the growth of democracy. In this perspective, the responsibility of the country is great, which must commit itself to meet the conditions of membership. Firm political will is needed to complete the process of accession to the European Union and make the transition process towards the spiritual, social and economic values of the EU more stable. This is a major political commitment, which the European Union must take into account more generously. The process of EU enlargement to the Balkans is a challenge for the union itself. Undoubtedly, the process of adapting to the conditions required for entry into the EU has favored the necessary reforms in Albania to become a member. Without ignoring the fact that Albania, like the other countries of the Western Balkans, still has many steps to take and many reforms, the effort put in place is an element of great importance. The next few years are crucial for the development of Albania, which will have to strengthen reform efforts to improve human capital, increase investment, modernize the agricultural sector, diversify and enhance its exports. Above all, citizens must continue to change their mentality to combat all forms of defrading and corruption and to strengthen the rule of law and the strategic transition to a green agenda. The future of Albania and the Western Balkan countries lies in the EU and for this reason too the EU must strengthen, speed up this geostrategic choice and get out of any uncertainty or misunderstanding. The new methodology adopted in 2020 by the members of the European Union may favor a faster path for a real integration of the Western Balkans. The future challenges are very demanding for everyone and if we do not act with a sure political will, the construction of a European Union of peaceful coexistence will go away. Accession of the Western Balkans to the EU could help make the European continent a safer and more sustainable place of life

Income and structural convergence of western balkans to European Union

This paper aims to model the convergence of economic development of Albania within the Western Balkans and in the context of European integration aspirations of the region. The conclusion of this paper is that the Balkan countries have converged among themselves and toward European Union (EU). But the speed of the convergence is moderated with the hit of global crisis and the recovery still seems difficult to the rate of pre-crisis. As economies in transition that are attempting to converge with the European development stages, the economies of the Balkan countries have to go through structural evolutions that are similar among countries. The variables used in this study are the income per capita, growth rate, sector contribution to GDP growth and the added value per worker in agriculture. The data is measured for the period from 1995 to 2015 in order to establish a substantial data series for trend analysis and understanding if countries in the study are converging or diverging with EU in terms of their income and economies profile. The issue of the productivity and further specialization of their output by using their advantages in resources comes into question

Aspects de l'évolution démographique en Albanie

Meksi Ermelinda, Iaquinta Pietro. - Aspects of Demographic Trends in Albania This paper deals with birth, marriage, and death rates and other major structural characteristics of the population of Albania. The size of the Albanian population was estimated at 3.2 million at the last census (2 April, 1989). Its size has tripled during the last half-century. The growth rate reached a maximum (three per cent per annum) around 1960 ; it is about two per cent at present. Until 1960, birth rates remained very high (total fertility was more than six children per woman) ; since then it has fallen to a curren estimated value of three children per woman. Marriage rates are very high, but early marriage for women (often associated with a significant difference between the ages of the two spouses) is far less frequent. Life expectancy (for both sexes) has increased from 53.5 to 71.6 years since 1950, but the rate of increase has become lower after 1980. The population's age structure is young (33 per cent are less than 14 years old, and 8 per cent are over 60 years old), and the population remains largely rural, with more than 65 per cent living in rural areas.Meksi Ermelinda, Iaquinta Pietro. - Aspects de l'évolution démographique en Albanie Présentation des facteurs de la croissance démographique en Albanie : fécondité, nuptialité, mortalité et des principales caractéristiques de la structure de la population. La population de l'Albanie comptait 3,2 millions d'habitants lors de son dernier recensement (2 avril 1989). En un demi-siècle, son effectif a été multiplié par trois. Le taux de croissance a atteint son maximum vers I960 (3 %) ; il est aujourd'hui de 2%. Jusque vers 1960, la fécondité est demeurée très forte (plus de 6 enfants par femme, en moyenne) ; depuis cette date, elle diminue (la somme des taux de fécondité est actuellement de 3 enfants par femme). La nuptialité est très élevée, mais les mariages féminins très précoces (souvent associés à une grande différence d'âge entre époux) sont beaucoup moins fréquents. Depuis 1950, la vie moyenne (sexes réunis) est passée de 53,5 ans à 71,6, le rythme des progrès se ralentissant depuis 1980. La population de l'Albanie est jeune (moins de 14 ans : 33 %, plus de 60 ans : 8 %), et demeure rurale (65 % vit en zone rurale).Meksi Ermelinda, Iaquinta Pietro. - Aspectos de la evolución demográfica en Albania Presentación de los factores del crecimiento demográfico en Albania : fecundidad, nupcialidad, mortalidad y principales caracterfsticas de la estructura de la población. La población de Albania en el ultimo censo del 2 de Abril 1989, contaba con 3,2 millones de per- sonas. En medio siglo, el numero de habitantes ha sido multiplicado por très. La tasa de crecimiento alcanzó su ni vel maximo en I960 (3 %) ; y actualmente es de 2 рог ciento. Hasta 1960, la fecundidad se mantuvo a un nivel muy elevado (en termine medio, más de 6 hijos por mujer) ; desde entonces, ha ido disminuyendo (actualmente la tasa de fecundidad es de 3 hijos por mujer). La nupcialidad es muy e le vada, pero, para el sexo femenino, los matrimonios précoces (asociados a una gran diferencia de edades entre los cónyugues) son menos fre- cuentes. Desde 1950, la esperanza de vida (ambos sexos) ha pasado de 53,5 afios a 71,6 pero este ritmo de progreso se encuentra en regresión desde de 1980. La población de Albania es jóven (33 % de ménos de 14 afios, 8 % de más de 60 afios) y concentrada en el area rural (65 %).Meksi Ermelinda, Iaquinta Pietro. Aspects de l'évolution démographique en Albanie. In: Population, 46ᵉ année, n°3, 1991. pp. 679-692

La mortalité générale en Albanie (1950-1990)

Meksi (Ermelinda), Dalla Zuanna (Gianpiero). - Mortality in Albania 1950-1990 Statistics, some of which have not previously been published, make it possible to trace the development of the death rate in Albania between 1950 and 1990. The number of deaths must first, however, be ajusted for omissions. In spite of its inaccuracies, the Census provides an acceptable denominator for the calculation of age-specific death rates. Table were constructed for 1950, 1960, 1969, 1979, and 1989. In 1989, life expectancy at birth amounted to 68 years for males and 74 years for females; a level comparable to that achieved in Italy about 1970, but the rate of progress towards these levels was faster in Albania. Significant progress was achieved during the 1950s and 1970s, but there was a marked slowdown during the 1960s and 1980s, and excess mortality of women during the post World War II period gave way to an overall excess mortality of men, which was concentrated among those aged 20, and 60 and over. Although life expectancy at birth in Albania is similar to that found in other European countries, the age pattern of mortality is different, being higher for children and lower for adults. These developments are related to Albania's political history; its alliance with the Soviet Union from 1946 to 1961, the People's Republic of China from 1962 to 1978, followed by autarchic isolation between 1978 and 1990. In each of these periods, the country's socio-economic structure which remains backward, based on agriculture and remaining traditional had a perceptible influence.Meksi (Ermelinda), Dalla Zuanna (Gianpiero). - La mortalité générale en Albanie (1950-1990) Des statistiques, dont certaines étaient restées inédites, permettent de retracer l'évolution de la mortalité en Albanie de 1950 à 1990. Il faut cependant corriger les décès enregistrés pour tenir compte des omissions ; la population recensée, malgré ses inexactitudes, fournit un dénominateur acceptable pour le calcul des taux de mortalité par âge. Des tables ont ainsi été construites pour 1950, 1960, 1969, 1979 et 1989. L'espérance de vie à la naissance atteint 68 ans pour les hommes et 74 ans pour les femmes en 1989, soit un niveau comparable à celui de l'Italie vers 1970, mais les gains pour atteindre ces niveaux ont été plus rapides qu'en Italie. Les années 1950 et les années 1970 ont bénéficié de progrès substantiels, mais les années 1960 puis la décennie 1980 ont marqué de forts ralentissements, voire un recul, surtout pour les hommes. La surmortalité féminine de l'après-guerre, surtout marquée chez les petites filles et les femmes d'âge fécond, a laissé la place à une surmortalité masculine généralisée, surtout marquée vers 20 ans et vers 60 ans. A niveau égal d'espérance de vie à la naissance, la mortalité en Albanie diffère de celle des pays occidentaux : elle est plus forte chez les enfants, mais moindre chez les adultes. Ces évolutions peuvent être rattachées à l'histoire politique de l'Albanie : l'alliance avec l'Union Soviétique (1946-1961), puis avec le Chine populaire (1962-1978), avant l'isolement autarcique (1978-1990). Mais à chaque étape, le poids de la structure socioéco- nomique du pays, encore arriérée au lendemain de la guerre, encore agricole et traditionnelle aujourd'hui, est aussi largement sensible.Meksi (Emelinda), Dalla Zuanna (Gianpiero) - La mortalidad general en Albania (1950-1990) Las estadisticas albanesas, algunas de las cuales inéditas hasta el momento, han per- mitido reconstruir la evolución de la mortalidad desde 1950 hasta 1990. No obstante, ha sido necesario corregir el numero de defunciones registradas para tener en cuenta las omi- siones; la población censada, aun con inexactitudes, es un denominador aceptable para el cálculo de tasas de mortalidad рог edad. De este modo se han reconstruido tablas para 1950, 1960, 1969, 1979 y 1989. La esperanza de vida al nacer alcanza 68 afios para los hombres y 74 aňos para las mujeres en 1989, nivel comparable al de la Italia de 1970, pero la evolución seguida hasta alcanzar estos nivelés ha sido más rápida que en Italia. En los aňos cin- cuenta y en los setenta hubo progresos substanciales, pero en los sesenta y en la década de los ochenta se produjo un estancamiento y hasta regresión, especialmente en el caso de los hombres. De la sobre-mortalidad femenina existente en la posguerra, fuertemente marcada en edades jóvenes y en mujeres en edad fecunda, se ha pasado a una sobre-mortalidad mas- culina generalizada, y más acentuada hacia los 20 y los 60 aňos. Aunque con nivelés simila- res de esperanza de vida al nacer, la mortalidad albanesa difiere de la observada en los parses occidentales: es más fuerte en edades jóvenes, y menos en edades adultas.Dalla Zuanna Gianpiero, Meksi Ermelinda. La mortalité générale en Albanie (1950-1990). In: Population, 49ᵉ année, n°3, 1994. pp. 607-635