The economic development and trade liberalization in the post-communist Albania

Abstract

After the installation of the Communist Regime and rejection of the democratic elections in Albania in 1945, the relations with the West worsened. The rulers of that time implemented the Stalinist economic system, which testifies to the friendly relations between the Soviet Union and Albania, and later with the People's Republic of China. Through this research, we aim to highlight the transformation of the economic system in Albania, the state that in 1967 was declared as the first atheist in the world. The communist system of government and protectionism led to the violation of fundamental human rights and values, the isolation of the inhabitants from the rest of the world, and a ruined and destroyed economy. Using the descriptive and statistical method, we will reveal how Albania has benefited immediately after the collapse of the communist system and the centralized economy, replacing it with the democratic system and free trade. We will see how the economic trend in post-communist Albania has substituted, starting with the transition from state to private property, to Albania's participation in the international trade arena.