EIRP Proceedings, Vol 9 (2014)

Abstract

The transition and integration of the Albanian economy in the EU constitutes a special valuable experience that would be relevant for the present and future development processes of economic market in general . Albania's experience in this regard carries two salient features in the path of Euro-Atlantic integration . First of all , the transition and economic integration in the EU began from scratch without inheriting any element or experience of the market economy and democratic culture ; secondly , it began as a radical process conceived as  “shock therapy” , which excludes a graduated process ; thirdly, it started out as a political process driven by upward and will continue as such until its completion .The created elements of market economy and democratic culture are going on in parallel with the process of EU integration But the lack of democratic culture has created more conflictual than consensual phenomenon that hinders and delays the time of wider economic integration . Not surprisingly, Albania as the most fanatical and dictatorial communist country in the past is the worst in the performance of the integration process .

Despite the time and the problems we have “skipped” many stages of historical development of a democraticWestern society and with optimism , we are having more and more realistic difficulties and efforts still need to be done to reach the standards of civilized Europe . Throughout this period precisely to achieve these standards we consider as a transition , which will end as an economic process but also as a socio-cultural one, when we become a member with full rights in the EU .