O P I N I O N

  If one were cynical this vineyard tale could be used to describe the current happenings since the 'democratization' of Albania. For the REC's Local Office in Tirana this year's harvest has paralleled this story.

  In January 1997, the office organized the Central and East European Biodiversity Initiative Conference. It presented an optimistic sign that regional dialogue about common problems among countries in CEE was being pursued. For Albania, it was a unique opportunity to showcase the good work done during the last few years. As late as February, a new project to compile a database of environmental specialists in Albania started with great support from the environmental community.

  These are just the latest developments from the REC's innovative work in Albania - the maturation of the previous years' batch. The projects are building on the training programs, awareness raising activities, joint donor efforts and extensive granting support for the NGO community, which had seen a two-fold increase in the number of active groups.

  However, there are countries in Europe where the fear of conflict and economic desperation are still in the air. Now, in Albania the forces for prosperity have gone in the wrong direction - the wine has turned to vinegar.

  The well-documented events of the winter of 1996-1997 - the collapse of pyramid investment schemes, suspect election results, the general financial hardship, eventually revolts and anarchy - have painfully curtailed, if not destroyed, the considerable progress and optimism achieved in the past few years. To all involved in the development of transition economies in CEE countries, the microcosm that is Albania has shown how difficult it is to effect real change (or even measure that change); and how much effort is consequently and constantly required.

  In March, the REC's Albanian Office was confronted with the full difficulty of the situation. The first round of Local Grants awards, planned for the middle of the month, was canceled; support for World Environment Day was canceled; the National NGO Conference has been canceled and a joint project with Macedonia on Lake Ohrid (following up from last year) is in jeopardy. In fact, all REC activities as well as those of other environmental organizations in Albania have stopped.

  Vinegar is indeed bitter to taste. However, vinegar can be tempered to make it more palatable. Already the situation appears calmer, but to what level? As everything is integrally related to the general economic and political situation it is hard to say what will happen in the near future. The REC staff in Albania await the calm, a normalization of life and activity, new elections, and most important, the optimism to resume operations. However, being all-the-while more realistic about the transition.

  One could dismiss the situation in Albania as unique, and perhaps it is, but other countries are experiencing transitional problems. Romania and Bulgaria implemented tough economic conditions to save financial stability, Bosnia-Herzegovina sits in limbo following the Dayton Agreement and even the darlings of the transition economists (Hungary and the Czech Republic) have sobering issues to face.

  The timing for transition is difficult to measure and so far no one has judged it correctly in CEE. It is surely better to continue the process than to waste the effort and money already invested with the introduction of half measures. A good wine takes time to produce, with much care and considerable knowledge. No Champagne miracle is anticipated, nor is vinegar acceptable, however, a good country wine could be agreeable.

- Mihallaq Qirjo, Local Representative Albania  
Robert Atkinson, Head of REC Outreach