Albania 35 Years After Communism: The Raped Democracy and the Monopoly of the Elites
The History That Did Not End in 1990
Flamur Bucpapaj
After the fall of communism in Eastern Europe, the Party of Labour and the structures of the State Security waged a covert war in Albania to preserve power. They never truly left. They merely changed names, flags, and symbols, but retained control over politics, the economy, and the media.
Their strategy was highly sophisticated: removing every independent voice, excluding those who did not obey, forcing them to leave the country, and refusing to return stolen properties. Individuals linked to the State Security and the Party of Labour—often without any merit—were promoted. In this way, the power structure remained intact, even though the country appeared to have entered democracy.
Meanwhile, those who tried to act for freedom and justice were punished: exclusions, threats, career blockages, and systematic obstruction. This showed that democracy in Albania did not begin with a true foundation of justice, but with a hidden network of control and manipulation.
The Student Experience in Shkodra
In 1990, I was a student in Shkodra, a leader of the Student Movement. I had no ties to the State Security; I was a former pupil expelled from school, and I had continued high school by walking three hours each way every day. It was a difficult test of endurance and determination to study.
The students chose me to lead, and for a time I thought I was bringing change. But the reality was brutal: the December students in Shkodra gained nothing. Many of those with ties to the State Security became MPs, directors, and leaders of the Democratic Party’s Youth Forum, while the rest of us—those who had truly protested—were forgotten.
I remember the hunger strike I organized and led: only Professor Xhovalin Kolombi supported us. My history department plotted against me—planning to block me in exams or expel me—something they did not succeed in doing because democracy came. Had it not been that time of change, I would almost certainly have ended up in Spaç or Burrel prisons.
The credit for the strike was taken by Pjetër Arbnori, who never came to help us; he merely gave a speech when we came out of the strike. Irony of fate: the Party of Labour did not lose power—we lost the country. They made us leave, excluded us, denied us our property, while others were promoted without merit.
This experience taught me that change is not just a symbolic act; it requires strong organization, popular support, and a strategy to prevent the old elites from regaining control.
The Raped Democracy and the Facade of Rotation
Today, former communists and their heirs continue to control politics and the economy. The formal rotation of power is just a facade: every government seems to change, but the old structures remain untouched.
Every institution, from the media to the public administration, continues to operate under the influence of the same clientelist networks. The system of competition does not exist. Every major tender seems predetermined for certain companies linked to power. Tender conditions are deliberately tailored for them; there is no space for new companies.
A concrete example is how former communists and security officers staged massive protests against young individuals and independent initiatives, where I and companies like Tplani Shpk were excluded from any participation in the market economy. They do not allow us to take part in public projects, restorations, or investments. In this way, only a minority connected to power have access, such as the “Renaissance Hotel” in Valbona, “the media of Sandri and Vjollca,” or media fields controlled by old networks.
Strategic licenses and contracts are awarded on order; any new initiative is blocked. This clearly shows that democracy and economic freedom have been violated in the name of narrow political interests and elites who do not want competition.
Ministries and Open Clientelism
Every minister seems to have “privatized” their sector. Licenses and contracts are often awarded to those who delivered votes or have direct ties to power. Clientelism is open and visible. Monopoly is everywhere: there is no real competition, no opportunities for new companies, and every state action seems tailored to protect the interests of a handful of people.
Even economic innovation and the development of new sectors are blocked. Licenses and privileges are kept as monopolies, while most citizens remain excluded from any real competitive opportunities. Economic policy seems simply an instrument to preserve the privileges of the old elites.
This situation creates a deep gap between citizens and power, reinforcing a sense of frustration and helplessness, and paralyzing initiatives that could challenge the system.
A Weak Opposition and a Government Set to Rule Until 2040
Unfortunately, the opposition has also remained weak and without a real strategy to challenge this system. This government and the heirs of the former communists seem set to remain in power until 2040, keeping control over every institution and economic sector unchanged. Changes are only cosmetic, while monopoly, clientelism, and favoritism continue to be the norm.
In the absence of a strong and organized opposition, citizens remain isolated and without any real chance to change the country’s course. This makes it urgent to have a broad civic mobilization to challenge the power structures and restore the freedom of political decision-making.
Time to Take to the Streets Again
It is time for citizens to react and reclaim real democracy. Just as in 1990, we must once again take to the streets, demand justice, transparency, and true freedom. Only by becoming active and refusing the facade of power rotation can monopoly, clientelism, and the control of the old elites be stopped.
The time is now. We all must be part of change, restore competition, protect property, and re-establish the rule of law over favoritism and the interests of a handful of people. Only in this way can Albania become a country where meritocracy, democracy, and justice are no longer empty promises but reality for every citizen.
