Liberal Institute of Tirana Pashko (ILP).

An Institute dedicated to promoting values of freedom

The establishment of the Liberal Institute of Tirana Pashko (ILP) is an effort by civil society to enhance governmental policies in the direction of a successful Albanian economy and polity. ILP is initiated by a group of distinguished academics, researchers, and lecturers who work solely on a personal and pro bono basis to develop timely, useful, and significant proposals that enable to contribute to the development of a strong economy and a democratic society. Following ILP’s mission, it is crucial that society respects people’s right to their own independence and recognizes that entrepreneurial skills as the most important considerations in a person’s and a country’s prosperity.

ILP intends to contribute towards the progress and democratization of the Albanian society through policy-oriented research projects, capacity building and joint programmes in these main areas: Promoting the Values of Freedom; Sustainable Development Culture-Heritage- Tourism; Research and Innovation; EU Integration; Human Rights and Social Inclusion; Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship.

The complexity of our society in the light of technological changes, is substantially transforming the nature of civilization, requiring as such an innovative approach to link social research, education, industry, media, civil society, public and private institutions, and promotion of a well-informed, impartial public debate in the best interest of citizens.

We tend to connect people from the political, academia and business sector with other thought leaders through our meetings, seminars, and conferences. The conclusions of our research and seminars are reflected in our publications, as well as in the private papers and briefings that senior officials and third parties ask us to provide.

THE PLATFORM

The Liberal Institute of Tirana PASHKO adopts an interdisciplinary approach to research, combining internal research expertise according to the field of research and also allowing the participation of expertise outsourcing in research projects. When doing so helps us achieve our goals in a more efficient and effective manner. The main standard by which we assess the utility of our work is the social impact of the institute’s operations. As was already mentioned, the institute’s primary goal is to enhance public policy in order to establish a healthy economy and society. ILP tries to contribute by:

• Promoting the principles and theories of economic freedom;
• Advocating for the improvement of the regulatory legal framework; and working to liberalize several sectors of the Albanian economy and society through events including conferences, round tables, training sessions, debates, and publications.
• Implementation of programs, initiatives, and efforts aiming at democracy, economic development, fostering free enterprise, enhancing good governance, and enhancing the rule of law.
• Informing the public through the media, scientific, artistic, cultural, academic publications.
• Conception and implementation of initiatives aimed at advancing and raising the quality of scientific research in fields under the scope of ILP’s activity.
• Providing technical consulting services to government agencies, local, national, and international organizations, interest groups, and other parties;
• Allocating grants for projects that fit with the ILP’s stated goals.
• Cooperation with national and international donors as well as local and foreign organizations.
• Cooperation on both national and international projects.

The Liberal Institute of Tirana PASHKO in the next ten years aims to consolidate its profile as an influential institution in the public environment and in the region, by actively promoting and supporting reforms and policy initiatives that further expand the scope of economic freedom and entrepreneurship and contribute to the establishment of a healthier society.

 

Albania makes Liberalism

In our country’s thirty-year post-communist transition, we frequently discuss and write about how the foundational elements of liberal democracy, such as free elections, the rule of law, the democratic separation of powers, the independence of the judiciary, accountability, the movement of elites, and free competition, have been threatened. Regardless of political hue, these strikes have exposed the simulated Albanian pluralism by circling and deteriorating from one government to another, reducing the conflict of ideologies, alternate strategies, and identity political cultures to a dry and captive idea of power where the parties pretend to compete as different, but they govern the same, turning the rotation of power into a carousel of power. This carousel appears to be harming Albanian citizens.

 

Unfortunately, the free, cultivated, democratic Thought is what has shocked this restricted society the most. In the early years of democracy, there was a flood of substantive open conversations, arguments, and conflicts. It was a sincere historical celebration in which the voices of authors and ideologies outlawed by the previous government boomed. During that time, the ‘Thought’ assumed the natural position of development’s leader, but over time, it lost ground, was driven to the margins, and eventually came to an end.

 

We resemble a nation where ‘Thought’ has disappeared in modern times. On this level, everything is prone to devolving into rumors, populist rhetoric, confection for base and negative desires, and brainwashing. Nothing is worse for a nation. It is difficult to say whether the system has driven ‘Thought’ out of the picture or whether the system has grown stronger because ‘Thought’ has become weaker. Both are accurate. What is left is democracy’s estrangement and, even worse, a widespread deterioration in mental and intellectual ability.

 

In this tragic setting, the Liberal Institute PASHKO continues to serve as a source of inspiration for memory and liberal tradition in our nation in all the unstoppable advancements it has known in knowledge, culture, and political action even in the darkest times, culminating in the 1990s influx of liberal democrats, whose symbol was and is still Gramos Pashko. Therefore, the organization that carries the name of Gramos serves as a hub for the active promotion of liberal ideals in close relation with national developments. The Institute seeks to uphold the Occidentalism-defining principles of freedom and creativity. It continues to be a resource of hope for the future. The institute is an open “island” where followers of this brand are gathered.  These liberal thinkers, most of whom are intelligent young adults, wish to contribute to education, formation, and growth because they are persuaded that Albania does liberalism.

 

I believe that being one of them is an honor and a responsibility, and I would like these words to be seen as a welcome and an invitation to all free and powerful individuals.

 

Preç Zogaj

President of the Liberal Institute PASHKO

 

Ide për shoqëri të lirë, të pasur e demokratike

Realitetet komplekse në të cilat jeton sot shoqëria jonë, ku forcat e globalizimit dhe ndryshimeve teknologjike po transformojnë rrënjësisht vetë natyrën e qytetërimit, institucionet publike dhe ekonominë, kërkojnë një qasje inovative në lidhjen e kërkimit shkencor me edukimin dhe promovimin e një debati publik të mirinformuar, të paanshëm dhe në interesin më të mirë të publikut dhe interesave afatgjata të vendit duke zhvilluar studime, duke ngritur problematika si dhe duke propozuar politika publike në mënyrë që të influencojë debatin publik, por edhe institucionet politikëbërëse. Në këtë frymë, Instituti Liberal i Tiranës PASHKO do të kontribuojë me aktivitetin e vet të strukturuar në pesë drejtime madhore, që janë organizuar si departamente ose njësitë përbërëse të institutit. Instituti ka në përbërjen e tij kapital human të kualifikuar, të cilët janë të aftë të realizojnë qëllimet dhe objektivat e tij. Njerëz të cilët kanë pasionin, arsimin dhe eksperiencën e duhur në shoqërinë civile dhe jetën akademike. Instituti Liberal i Tiranës PASHKO, merr emrin nga ekonomisti dhe politikani i shquar i fillimeve të pluralizmit politik shqiptar Gramoz Pashko, i cili me idetë e tij liberale ka spikatur dhe ka pasur një rol thelbësor për ndërtimin e një shoqërie të lirë dhe demokratike. Misioni ynë është të kontribuojmë në ndërtimin e një shoqërie të shëndetshme, të pasur dhe demokratike, një shoqëri ku liria e individit dhe sipërmarrjes janë vlerat thelbësore për prosperitetin e njeriut dhe të kombit. Instituti Liberal i Tiranës PASHKO adopton një qasje ndërdisiplinore në kërkimin shkencor, duke kombinuar ekspertizën e brendshme kërkimore sipas fushave të kërkimit, si dhe siguron edhe përfshirjen e ekspertizës së jashtme në projektet kërkimore, kur një gjë e tillë i shërben arritjes së objektivave tona në mënyrën më efektive dhe të suksesshme. Instituti Liberal i Tiranës PASHKO promovon vlerat e sipërmarrjes së lirë dhe konkurrencës së ndershme, si rruga më e mirë e zhvillimit dhe prosperimit të kombit tonë. Historia e botës së qytetëruar ka provuar, tashmë pa asnjë ekuivok, se shoqëritë e lira dhe demokratike kanë prodhuar stabilitet dhe prosperitet për qytetarët e tyre. Ndërsa ndërhyrjet e tepërta të qeverisë në ekonomi dhe në jetën e qytetarëve përbëjnë një kërcënim të lirisë së individit dhe sipërmarrjes, dhe misioni i programit është pikërisht që t’i kujtojë shoqërisë rreziqet që i vijnë nga kërcënime të tilla. Liria politike dhe ajo ekonomike janë dy vlerat bazë mbi të cilat ky institut është themeluar dhe të cilat kërkon t’i promovojë dhe t’i mbrojë nëpërmjet aktiviteteve dhe impaktit të tij publik. Impakti social i aktiviteteve të institutit është edhe kriteri themelor mbi të cilin ne gjykojmë mbi dobishmërinë e veprimtarisë sonë. Në funksion të përmbushjes së këtij misioni, Instituti ka si synim që në dhjetë vitet e ardhshme të konsolidojë profilin e vet si një institucion influencues në mjedisin publik vendas dhe në rajon, duke promovuar dhe mbështetur aktivisht reforma dhe iniciativa politike që zgjerojnë edhe më shumë hapësirat e lirisë ekonomike e sipërmarrjes, dhe që i kontribuojnë ndërtimit të një shoqërie më të lirë, më të pasur dhe më të shëndetshme. Këtë mision instituti kërkon ta realizojë në bashkëpunim me partnerët e Shqipërisë dhe delegacionet ndërkombëtare që kanë si synim mbrojtjen e vlerave demokratike, lirive themelore të njeriut dhe zhvillimin ekonomik, por edhe me organizatat lokale partnere që operojnë në fushën e shoqërisë civile.

Prof. Assoc. Dr. ERVIS ILJAZAJ

Drejtor