From getting a copy of your certificates, to paying for your taxes and beyond: starting May 1st, Albanians will have to use the government’s e-services portal to receive the vast majority of public services.
The Albanian government will shut down hundreds of service windows and counters that offer services provided by the public administration, with 40 to be closed in Tirana alone according to Tirana mayor Erion Veliaj.
“Service windows for in-person communication with the citizens will be shut down in a bid to further improve service quality and transparency,” according to a government announcement.
Civil Registry, taxes, social insurances and all the services delivered by the National Business Centre, and the National Chamber of Notaries are among those services that will transition almost entirely online, “except for the cases in the in-person presence of the applicant is mandatory,” the announcement specifies.
A full list of the services available to Albanian citizens is available on the e-Albania portal.
Transition to digital has been a cornerstone of Prime Minister Edi Rama’s vision for Albania, in an attempt to eliminate inefficiency and low-level corruption.
“This major step in delivering public sector services eliminates the in-person communication between the citizens and the public administration employees, eradicating corruption practices, long queues and dissatisfaction,” the Prime Minister’s Office writes in their explainer.
