INTERNATIONAL LAW AND HUMAN RIGHTS IMPLEMENTATION: ALBANIA AFTER THE FALL OF DICTATORSHIP (1990-2018)

Abstract

International law is one of the main legal instruments which has influenced the implementation of Human Rights in various countries, especially in the last decades. Conventions regarding the protection of these kind of rights have gained a substantial importance especially after the Cold War. Nevertheless, the protection of human rights is still one of the most debatable issues among scholars, authors, and other societal actors. However, this paper will focus on the progress that Albania has made in the context of the Human Rights after the fall of dictatorship, since only at this point Albania was ready to embrace the international system’s set of values. During the early 1990s, several international actors played a major role in regard to human rights in the country [Albania]. Not only its political system was changed due to the international intervention, but also its economic and societal environment was considerably transformed. However, this paper aims to analyze the Albanian context regarding some of the main Fundamental Human Rights like the protection of human dignity, the right to life, the freedom of expression and the right to a fair trial, since these were some of the basic Human Rights which were suppressed under the dictatorial regime. Furthermore, this study will also focus on the actual debate of Human Rights by analyzing the right of good administration as one of the main fundamental rights that individuals should enjoy nowadays, as it is stated in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. Despite the fact that Albania has shown substantial progress in this background [amelioration of Human Rights] since the fall of dictatorship, according to several international organizations’ reports there is still considerable work to be done in this background.