Introduction

Albania, like other postcommunist East Central European countries, has been undergoing a multiple transition: a political transition from one party to many, an economic transition from command to market economy, and a national security transition in an unpredictable, post-Cold War international security regime. Since the March 1992 elections, when the Albanian Democratic Party defeated the former Communists, Albania has undergone profound political, economic, and social transformations. The international community dispatched a multinational protection force of 6,000 under a UN mandate to contain new mass emigration by desperate Albanians, which would further destabilize Albania and might set off a dangerous ripple effect across the entire Balkan region. In view of Albania’s implosion in early 1997, serious questions have been raised about its ability to face up to the many challenges of establishing a democracy. The chapter also presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in this book.