The COVID-19 pandemic has fuelled a global crisis for democracy, not jut health. Since the outbreak began earlier this year, democracy and human rights have taken a nosedive in more than 80 countries. Governments responded to the pandemic by abusing their power, silencing critics, weakening or shuttering certain institutions, and undermining the systems of accountability needed to protect public health.
Albania was no exception. Accoring to Freedom House’s Special Report 2020 “Democracy Under Lockdown”, the county was “ruled with an iron fist
Some of the main findings of the report for Albania are:
– One of the biggest challenges for democracy in Albania was the bypassing of any democratic process and the fact that the government governed with decrees that changed every day.
– The courts were closed and government measures could not be challenged or appealed, while the Constitutional Court and the Supreme Court are dysfunctional.
– The police were given more power and powers for fines and arrests of citizens who violated quarantine and restrictive measures.
– The government, which was previously dominant and unchallenged, became even stronger during the pandemic.
– Gatherings and protests were not allowed and there were cases when people were investigated for their Facebook posts.
– There were problems with access to information and with the transparency and accountability of the government to the citizens and the media.
