OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities visits Albania, commends steady progress in harmonizing legislative and institutional framework
From 9 to 11 January 2023, OSCE High Commissioner on National Minorities Kairat Abdrakhmanov conducted an official visit to Albania.
During his visit, he met with representatives of the Ministries of Europe and Foreign Affairs, Education and Sports, Culture, the Institute of Statistics/INSTAT, the Committee on National Minorities, as well as a range of international interlocutors.
The High Commissioner welcomed Albania’s ongoing work concerning national minorities, including recent updates to the legislative and institutional framework. “The promulgation of several key pieces of legislation and the subsequent establishment of the Committee on National Minorities are important milestones that contribute to social cohesion and help to strengthen the integration of Albania’s diverse society,” Abdrakhmanov said.
Interlocutors noted that Albania’s EU accession process is creating suitable conditions for harmonizing the domestic framework on national minorities with regional standards.
In a discussion with the General Director of INSTAT, the High Commissioner welcomed the planned census, noting that diversity governance policies are more effective when based on robust evidence. The data collected from the population census can serve as a key tool in the allocation of State funding and the formulation of such policies.
High Commissioner Abdrakhmanov also expressed his support for Albania’s steady progress, both domestically and in bilateral relations, and assured his interlocutors of his readiness to support the authorities on all matters within the scope of his mandate, including by providing technical assistance and capacity development to State bodies dealing with matters related to national minorities.
The High Commissioner thanked Ambassador Guido De Sanctis, Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania, and his team, for the longstanding co-operation and support provided throughout the visit.