International IDEA and European Parliament support the integrated, modernised digital ecosystem of the Albanian Assembly

A full-cycle 360° ICT Assessment of the Albanian Parliament was completed by Mr Ludovic Delépine, Head of Unit, Directorate-General for Information Technologies and Cybersecurity, from 21 until 25 September, in partnership with the European Parliament under the project “Strengthening the Albanian Parliament for EU Integration, STEP-EU" funded by the EU.

This exercise responded to critical needs voiced by the Assembly during the inception phase of the STEP-EU project, and aligns with the Assembly's Strategic Plan 2026-2030 and its priorities related to digitalization. The assessment responds to the needs of the Assembly in aligning legislation with the EU acquis and communicating Albania’s EU accession process. 

The expert reviewed the digital systems and tools used across the Assembly's departments and units, as well as its overall digital architecture. This thorough assessment identified opportunities to improve the existing fragmented system, enhance system functionality and interoperability, facilitate data exchange and establish a more secure digital infrastructure. To support these objectives and contribute to Albania’s EU integration process, the expert recommended developing an integrated and unified digital system, owned by the Assembly. The recommendations set out a phased approach to interventions, enabling a controlled and step-by-step upgrade of the existing systems, while minimizing the operational risks and ensuring stability and continuity.  

The proposed measures include immediate actions to strengthen human capacities, portfolio governance, and strategic planning and additional security measures. It also proposed medium-and long-term interventions focusing on cyber resilience and security assurance, infrastructure modernisation, and developing an EU Accession Platform. The proposed interventions are ultimately aimed at establishing a consolidated and integrated digital ecosystem for the Assembly. 

Visits of this nature once again demonstrate the wealth of expertise that the European Parliament can offer to countries aspiring to EU membership, while also creating valuable opportunities to address shared challenges from a broader regional perspective. 

The mission would not have been possible without the strong support of the Albanian Assembly, the endorsement from the political leadership and the senior management, the Speaker’s Chief of Staff, the Secretary-General, as well as the valuable contribution of the Assembly’s staff, the technical insight of the ICT Director, and the information shared by organizations and partners that have assisted the Assembly throughout the digitalisation path. 

A note of gratitude is extended to the WFD, GPG, NDI, OSCE PiA, civil society and media, for their valuable information and cooperation.