The Council of Europe warns that the unification of municipalities in Albania must be preceded by a detailed analysis of the 2015 reform and by real consultations with the affected communities.
A preliminary report prepared by rapporteurs Anders Knape and Soren Schumacher in March 2026 emphasizes that the weaknesses of local government should not lead to centralization, but to the financial and administrative strengthening of municipalities.
The rapporteurs say that the local government had only minimal information and warn that the European Charter does not prohibit mergers or changes to territorial borders but it does require that the affected communities be consulted in advance.
"There is a risk that only formal and non-substantive consultations will be held during the preparation of the territorial reform planned for 2026, if the government intends to respect the announced deadline for its implementation," the draft report states.
The document also highlights a discrepancy between the goal of larger municipalities and the continued centralization of public services, such as waste management, water, and education.
"For a number of mandatory functions, local government units do not possess full and exclusive competences, but are limited to mechanical implementation or institutional maintenance functions. As a result, Albania is not fully benefiting from the principle of subsidiarity," the document continues.
The rapporteurs reject the logic according to which the incompetence or weakness of some municipalities should lead to the taking over of powers by the central government.
"However, in accordance with the spirit of the Charter, the appropriate response to these challenges is not centralization, but the development of the administrative and financial capacities of the relevant local government units," the report states.
The report calls for the reform to go beyond the number and boundaries of municipalities. It should also address the future of the 12 regions, emphasizing that regions cannot be considered full units of local self-government in the spirit of the Charter.
