Payments for Lobbying in U.S. Albanian Political Parties 2009-2010

Open date Albania conducted a research based on investigation results of two important bodies of civil society operating in the United States of America. ProPublika and Sunlight Foundation have investigated over foreign lobbyists’ payments in U.S. In the framework of political parties’ transparency on costs and finances, Open Data Albania publishes the data of Foreign Lobbying Influence Tracker project for Albania.

 According to this investigation, in the years 2009 – 2010, main Albanian parties have contracted and paid for American lobbying. Names of several congressmen and senators are mentioned in the investigation as contracted and paid from Albanian lobbyists.

^{Comments and Analysis: Open Data Albania          
Contributed: Foreign Lobbying Influence Tracker by ProPublica & Sunlight Foundation          
Link: http://foreignlobbying.org/country/Albania/}

Open Data Albania determines that, over the past two years, political parties have paid in total 356.548 USD for lobbying in the United States of America. The data published from Open Data Albania shed light on political parties’ contacts with companies and lobbying firms with the most varied purposes.

This payment is mainly for networking and organizing meetings with dignitaries, mainly in the U.S. State Department and U.S. Senate. Also, issues on which political parties require lobbying in the U.S. are discussions and evaluations of political and electoral situation in Albania. In some cases, political parties, mainly the Socialist Party as the opposition Party, have demanded lobbying mediation to conduct interviews or reports on important international media, regarding the situation of corruption and electoral problems in our country.

In one case, the ruling party has also paid for lobbying on NATO membership. Meanwhile, according to the data researched from Open Data Albania, the Party for Justice and Integration has had significant contacts on matters related to the rights of the Cam community.

Specifically, during the years 2009 – 2010, Albanian Political Parties have paid to the American lobbyists the following amounts:

^{Comments and Analysis: Open Data Albania          
Contributed: Foreign Lobbying Influence Tracker by ProPublica & Sunlight Foundation          
Link: http://foreignlobbying.org/country/Albania/}

The Socialist Movement for Integration LSI is the party that has spent most, leading with 154.298 USD, followed by the Democratic Party with 120.000 USD. 

Lobbyist Paymants from Socialist Movement for Integration LSI

^{Comments and Analysis: Open Data Albania          
Contributed: Foreign Lobbying Influence Tracker by ProPublica & Sunlight Foundation          
Link: http://foreignlobbying.org/country/Albania/}

Lobbyist Paymants from Democratic Party of Albania

^{Comments and Analysis: Open Data Albania          
Contributed: Foreign Lobbying Influence Tracker by ProPublica & Sunlight Foundation          
Link: http://foreignlobbying.org/country/Albania/}

The Socialist Party has paid for lobbying as well, spending 82.250 USD.
The research on Albanian political parties’ lobbying in the United
States, reveals an extended number of contacts of the Party for Justice
and Integration on the Cam issue. However, in the case of the Party for
Justice and Integration were not found any current payments.

Lobbyist Paymants from Socialist  Party of Albania

^{Comments and Analysis: Open Data Albania          
Contributed: Foreign Lobbying Influence Tracker by ProPublica & Sunlight Foundation          
Link: http://foreignlobbying.org/country/Albania/}

Open Data Albania publishes data investigated from Sunlight Foundation for Albania, adding detailed payments, dates, their value, lobbied issue, lobbying firm, contact form and names of key representatives involved in the lobbying processes according to the interests of Albanian political parties.