ABSTRACT
This chapter reports on the activities of the OSCE Presence in Albania. Although Communism in Albania ended in 1991, many would draw a line in the sand in 1997, considering that Albania's path to democracy started from the beginning again after these elections. There are five distinct phases that have dictated the direction the Presence has taken. First, was a need for much political brokerage and mediation to enable the first post-crisis elections to take place. Second, this was followed by much election-orientated work to ensure that they duly took place in June and July of 1997. Third, once elections were over, the Presence was able to set about assisting with the establishment of its longer-term activities to consolidate democracy and the rule of law. The fifth phase sees us back to our longer-term activities, in support of what is now the third new Socialist Party Government since those elections of 1997.
