The closing session of the Open Data Fellowship – Youth Empowerment Against Corruption program was held as the final activity of the program cycle, bringing together fellowship participants, journalists, and activists. During this meeting, the results of the work carried out throughout the program were presented, as well as civil society initiatives in local and regional contexts related to transparency, accountability, and fact-checking in the…
Albanian Institute of Science (AIS) / Open Data Albania, in partnership with a European team of organizations and institutions working in the field of anti-corruption, is contributing to the assessment of public procurement in Albania according to European Union standards. OpenTender Europe, one of the best-known platforms in the European Union for evaluating the quality, integrity, and transparency of public procurement, has expanded its data…
Joint Statement by Civil Society Organisations on the Draft Decision to Amend the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Albania Tirana, 13 March 2026 A coalition of 31 civil society organisations, including AIS / Open Data Albania, has issued a joint statement raising concerns about the Draft Decision to Amend the Rules of Procedure of the Parliament of Albania. The statement focuses on two issues: the design…
The organization AIS wishes to express its concerns regarding several critical aspects of the rule of law in Albania, with a focus on the State-Owned Enterprises (SOEs) sector and legislation affecting Public Procurement, Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs), and the privatization of state assets. 1. The SOE Sector as a High-Risk Area The SOE sector is increasingly becoming a high-risk area for corruption, lack of transparency, and…
On 27 January 2026, an informational presentation was held at the premises of AIS with activist students, focusing on introducing the iMonitor project and the use of the OpenTender.eu platform for monitoring public procurement. During the meeting, the civil monitoring approach to public contracts was presented, along with the importance of open data for transparency and accountability, as well as practical ways in which citizens…
Within the framework of the project iMonitor 2.0 – Enhancing law enforcement efficiency by bringing together public procurement data analytics and civil monitors, a training session was held on 26 October 2025 in Gjirokastër, focusing on strengthening civil monitoring capacities for public contracts and the use of data analytics in public procurement. The training aimed to reinforce the role of citizens, journalists, and civil society…
The Fiscal Peace Agreement Law (Law No. 84/2025), introduced during the 2025 election period and approved in early 2026, was passed by Parliament and published in the Official Gazette in January 2026. The law was adopted almost without public consultation or substantive parliamentary debate. Closely linked to the Tax Amnesty Law (forgiveness of tax obligations), it significantly downplays the risks associated with large financial injections…
Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to successfully bid in Public Tendering for Local Government Units – this was the title of the roundtable held on 19 December, organized by AIS. During this roundtable, data and challenges related to the economic empowerment of women and gender groups were presented in the areas of Procurement, Contracting, Entrepreneurship, and Gender-Responsive Budgeting Programs. The objective of the meeting was Driving Policy…
18 December 2025 Six civil society organizations have come together in a joint statement in support of the independence of Special Anti-Corruption and Organized Crime Structure SPAK, the dismantling of the myth of impunity, institutional integrity, and the objective investigation of any public official involved in corrupt acts. Our organizations are closely monitoring, with concern, the events of recent months and days, based on information…
A consultative workshop on the Preventive Anti-Corruption Assessment of the Draft Law “On the Extended Responsibilities of Producers of Products that Generate Waste” brought together Members of Parliament, representatives from civil society organizations, business associations, public institutions, and legal experts. The event gathered MPs from both the ruling majority and the opposition Blendi Himçi, Zamira Sinaj, Gjin Gjoni, Klodiana Capja, Kliti Hoti, Redi Muçi, and Edmond Haxhinasto as well as…
AIS participated in the National Event organized by UNODC – United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, in partnership with the Regional Anti-Corruption Initiative and the Minister of State for Public Administration and Anti-Corruption. The event was held on 31 October 2025. Three key moments of cross-sectoral engagement in Corruption Risk Assessment and Prevention were part of the event agenda, specifically: Panel 1: From Horizontal…
Tirana, Albania – October 27, 2025 On October 25–26, 2025, AIS – promoter of Open Data Albania – successfully organized the annual Open Data Marathon, DataThon Albania 2025, bringing together journalists, activists, students, and civil society representatives to work collaboratively with open public data. This year’s theme focused on one of the most sensitive areas of public governance: Public Procurement and Politically Exposed Persons (PEPs)…
27 October 2025 Project: Empowering Women Entrepreneurs to Successfully Bid in Public Tendering for Local Government Units Context The Albanian Institute of Science (AIS) is implementing a project supported by the Embassy of Canada, aiming to empower women entrepreneurs to participate successfully in public tenders at the local government level. As part of this project, a Focus Group was organized with institutions, organizations, and chambers…
The Albanian Center for Economic Research (ACER), in collaboration with AIS / Open Data Albania and with the support of the Westminster Foundation for Democracy (WFD) Albania, organized today a training session for civil society representatives on Preventive Corruption Review, based on the methodology adopted and implemented in the Parliament of Albania. The Westminster Foundation for Democracy Albania has previously supported the implementation of this…
Recent developments in Albanian governance were discussed yesterday on journalist Pandi Gjata’s program on A2 CNN Albania.Aranita Brahaj, the founding director of AIS – Open Data Albania – highlighted that the use of Artificial Intelligence also carries significant risks of misuse and corruption. Diella, çfarë na pret me Ministren e AI, sa na kushton dhe ç’rrezikojmë – Aranita Brahaj AIS is a civil society organization…
