 The latest World Bank and IFC report “Doing Business 2009” ranked Albania second among countries which undertook reforms during 2007-08 to make doing business easier. In four of the 10 areas assessed by the report between June 2007 and June 2008, Albania saw key reforms that have simplified and eased regulations in three areas: starting a business, protecting investors, and getting credit. Its overall rank on the ease of doing business index climbed to 86 from 135, putting Albania on par with other countries in the sub-region.
The World Bank Country Office organized a series of activities for the dissemination of this report, including: training on doing business indicators with economic journalists; press conference; regional video conference with media representatives; and presentation by the report team. All these activities kept open the news cycle in the local media for more than two weeks.  The World Bank Tirana Office has created the tradition of training journalists before the dissemination of important country reports, on issues: poverty, governance, water sector, and doing business. The training took place the day prior to the embargo date of the Doing Business report. Country Manager, Camille Nuamah presented the indicators and the methodology of the report. This training yielded its results in a more accurate, deep and professional reporting of the Doing Business in the coming days.
On 10 September amidst a high attendance of journalists a press conference was organized to launch the report, and its main findings especially for Albania. A tailored press release was disseminated and the Country Manager responded to several questions of the journalists regarding areas improved and those that need improvements, and specific indicators, advantages and shortcomings of the methodology, complimentary tools to assess business environment, etc.. The same day a regional videoconference was held where Simeon Djankov, co-author of Doing Business Report presented regional results and future challenges. In addition he answered the questions of journalists from different countries in the region, including Albanian journalists. In the following days the Country Manager gave several exclusive interviews for TV channels or newspapers. (Interview for Tirana Times Newspaper; Interview for Top Channel). On 18 September the World Bank Group and IFC organized a Doing Business Roadshow which became an open and balanced forum with the participation of PM Sali Berisha, Minister Genc Ruli and other high government officials, as well Jane Armitage, Country Director, representatives from private sector, think tanks, academia, media, etc.  Penelope J. Brook, Director of Indicators and Analysis in the World Bank Group’s Financial and Private Sector Vice Presidency presented the findings of the report on Albania and offered clarifications on the questions of the participants on particular indicators of the report.
A panel composed by Genc Ruli, Minister of Economy, Trade and Energy, Daniel Berg, Head of EBRD Office in Tirana, John Brannaman, Deputy Director, USAID, Genc Boga, Managing Partner, Boga & Associate, and Seyhan Pencapligil, CEO, Banka Kombetare Tregtare, Executive Committee Member of Bankers Association and moderated by Camille Nuamah, Country Manager answered questions such as: The remarkable progress in the Protecting Investors indicator for Albania is based on changes to the Companies Law regarding investor-to-investor relationships. Is this likely to spur the formation of more joint stock companies, either between domestic investors or with foreign investors? How much impact do you expect from this reform without concurrent improvements in Enforcing Contracts?
The National Registration Center was established in September 2007, yet there are still challenges in streamlining the procedures and costs for Starting a Business. How will this measure have an impact in reducing informality? What remains to be done to achieve fully simplified procedures?
The new Public Credit Registry has been commended as an important step toward lowering the information costs of providing credit, yet there are still concerns about the rapid growth of private credit as a key risk to Albania’s macroeconomic performance. How is this likely to enhance access to credit by SMEs? How can Albania reconcile the need to further deepen financial intermediation while mitigating the risks of the intense competition for market share that is driving some of this credit growth?
The improvements that underpin Albania’s performance in the Doing Business ranking are based mainly on “stroke of the pen” reforms, passage of laws, while the remaining areas of reform are heavily dependent on implementation. What would be the two most important system-wide reforms that could broadly improve implementation of business regulations by the public sector, and awareness by the private sector?
Albania now ranks ahead of a number of countries in the region on the ease of doing business index. How can Albania capitalize on this achievement to attract a broader range of job-creating FDI, knowing, of course, that the investment climate includes a host of things not measured by the DB, like infrastructure, skills and governance?
All these activities gave their results in an extremely wide media coverage. Almost all the televisions in their news editions had a peace on the results of the report on Albania. More than 70 reports from written and electronic media reflected the above activities, or analyzed more deeply the results for Albania. |
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