PUBLISHED: MAY 7, 2001

The legislative package contains a number of significant provisions, including the following:

• It defines organizational forms. Under prior legislation, definitions were unclear, which enabled pyramid schemes to register as foundations
• It enables all natural and legal persons, including foreigners, to found an NGO.
• It recognizes the right of individuals to establish informal, unregistered associations.
• It provides a procedure for international and foreign organizations to obtain legal entity status in Albania.
• It provides broad discretion to founders to structure the internal governance of organizations, while promoting appropriate internal governance practices (e.g., rules governing conflicts of interest, self-dealing, and dispute resolution).
• It enables organizations to engage in economic activities, which are essential for the financial sustainability of the Albanian NGO sector.
• It explicitly recognizes the right of Albanian NGOs to receive grants and donations from any private or public person, Albanian or foreign.
• It lays the groundwork for public financing of NGOs.
• It rescinds the provision of existing law giving the state undefined, broad powers to supervise NGO activities.
• It limits state powers to terminate involuntarily an NGO.

ICNL will also post translations of the Albanian NGO legislative package on its website once they are available.

ICNL’s work in Albania is funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). USAID administers the U.S. foreign assistance program, providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide.