Why Albania Matters

Jan Smith / June 29, 2011

It has been over two decades since Albania escaped the iron grip of communism, yet it is still struggling to sustain democracy. Since 2009, the same year it joined NATO, its elections have been marred by violence, with the Socialist Party using intimidation and mob rule to try to gain or maintain power. Sadly, Washington does not appear to be paying attention.

Albania is a small country of about 3 million mainly Muslim people bordering Kosovo, Macedonia, and Greece in the Balkan Peninsula. It is one of the poorest countries in Europe, with a post-communism history of corruption, run-down infrastructure, organized crime, and high unemployment. A key export is chromium, an element highly sought after for its non-corrosive properties and a chief component of stainless steel. Albania’s natural resources like chromium were specifically cited in the announcement this week that Albania and China had signed an Agreement on Economic and Technical Cooperation. (more…)