Department of Strategy and Donor Coordination

Improvement of this indicator was a direct result of several policies undertaken by the Albanian government
including registration of undertakings by the NRC, reducing time required to register from 42 days to just
one day, the new law on procurements that made possible the development of online procurement, tax system
reform through online payment of taxes, and providing each high school and primary school with a computer
room and Internet access. During 2008, e-procurements constituted only two per cent of the total value of
procurements, while for 2009, it is aimed to conduct all procurements through online procedures. This shall
induce reduction in the total cost of procurements, increase transparency and reduce corruption. The indicator
of e-government readiness is calculated by the UN Department of Economic and Social Affairs and comprises
a number of other indicators including infrastructure index, data readiness index, Internet access index and
education index.
Figure 23. E-readiness index data for SEE countries (2008)
1.2
1
0.8
0.6
0.4
0.2
0.3913 0.3712
0.3913 0.3712
0.2943
0.2943
0.4147
0.4147
0.3579
0.3579
0.4849
0.4849
0.4147
0.4147
0
Albania Montenegro B&H Greece Macedonia Bulgaria Romania
E-readiness data
Web measured access
Source: UN e-Government Survey 2008
Establishing the National Agency on Information Society in 2008 has increasingly impacted the orientation
and coordination of public policies on information society at a central level. During 2008 the focus was on
intensive preparation and consultation of the draft strategy on information society.
Progress towards EU standards will be achieved through the process of approximating legislation and policies
to the (EU) acquis in the field of information technology. Progress has been demonstrated through a number of
legal acts adopted in this field, including the laws On Electronic Signatures and On Personal Data Protection,
dated 10 March 2008, changes in the laws On Public Procurement and On Electronic Communication in the
Republic of Albania, adoption during 2008 in the Albanian Criminal Code and Criminal Procedures Code of
the provisions of the Convention on Cyber Crime, etc.
Particularly, the Law On Electronic Communications in the Republic of Albania, which was adopted by
the Albanian parliament on 19 May 2008, is fully approximated to EU directives in the field of electronic
communications. The adoption of this Law has fully liberalised the electronic communications market. In
2008 alone, the Albanian Agency for Information Society (AKEP) issued licences, or allowed expansion of
services to consumers, to more than 70 undertakings.
NSDI 2008 Progress Report | 45