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Jerusalem Post: What is slowing down Israel-Albania economic ties?

2026-01-08 09:47:55Aktualitet SHKRUAR NGA REDAKSIA VOX

Jerusalem Post: What is slowing down Israel-Albania economic ties?

From the Jerusalem Post

For most Israelis, Albania remains almost hidden between Greece and Italy, two popular vacation and business destinations. But few Israelis realize that Albania has more to offer than its perceived status as a “backward” country.

Albania and Israel share a bond forged during the Holocaust, as this Southeast European country was among the few Nazi-occupied countries where the Jewish population not only survived but also grew – thanks to the extraordinary courage of its mostly Muslim citizens who sheltered Jews at great personal risk. Many Albanians saved and sheltered thousands of Jews fleeing Nazi persecution. This moral legacy has cultivated a deep understanding in Israel, where Albania is remembered as a beacon of humanity amidst the darkness.

Since the opening of the Albanian Embassy in Tel Aviv in 1988 and the opening of the Israeli Embassy in Tirana in August 2012, bilateral relations have grown and cooperation has deepened, particularly in the fields of economy, culture, agriculture and cybersecurity.

Today, Albania is a strategic ally and has publicly condemned Hamas, while strengthening stable security ties with Israel, including cooperation between Albanian forces and Israeli defense giant Elbit Systems.

Albania's economic potential

On paper, the economic potential is immense. Direct flights connect Tel Aviv to Tirana, Albania boasts a stunning Mediterranean coastline, and its government under Prime Minister Edi Rama projects a pro-business and innovation-friendly image.

Israeli investors, known for their appetite for emerging markets, should be flocking to Albania. However, the reality is quite different: investment flows remain modest, blocked not by cultural barriers but by deep structural problems. Israeli capital is hesitant, concerned by Albania’s institutional fragility and shortcomings in the rule of law.

From the perspective of the Israeli investor, this is the “Security Paradox.” Israelis are not afraid of risk – they know how to operate in difficult environments from Africa to Asia – but they demand legal predictability. Albania offers physical security for Jews coming for business or pleasure, with almost zero anti-Semitism, a pleasant contrast to the growing threats in Western Europe.

But the business landscape feels legally uncertain. Robust criminal networks and weak justice institutions make assets vulnerable, turning diplomatic warmth into economic caution. Major projects stall, amid fears that contracts could fall apart in a system riddled with unpredictability.

This hesitation is reinforced by the broader geopolitical context in the Balkans. Albania’s EU accession process is moving slowly, but domestic politics add layers of uncertainty. Prime Minister Rama’s relationship with the US administration under President Donald Trump has been described as complicated, while Trump’s anti-EU rhetoric casts a shadow over Albania’s electoral climate and integration efforts. For Israeli institutional investors, who prioritize long-term stability, such volatility raises red flags.

At the heart of this crisis lie Albania’s problems with the rule of law, epitomized by alarming rates of pre-trial detention. A staggering 62% of prisoners there are in pre-trial detention, the highest in Europe, highlighting a system that relies on prolonged deprivation of liberty without a court order. The Special Structure against Corruption and Organized Crime (SPAK), designed to root out corruption, faces accusations of overstepping its authority, becoming, according to critics, a tool of political maneuvering. For foreign investors, this erodes trust: a legal framework that violates due process undermines the very foundations of secure business relationships.

Insecurity also affects Israel

This is not abstract; it touches on Israel’s allies in Albania. Take Ilir Meta, the former president who visited Israel in January 2020. He warmly embraced the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) rescue teams that helped his country after the devastating 2019 earthquake, awarding them the prestigious “Golden Eagle Medal” in recognition. Meta’s pro-Israel credentials are unquestionable, rooted in historical ties reinforced by declarations of friendship between Rama and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2015.

Yet today, this steadfast friend languishes in detention, a victim of the very system that is supposed to guarantee justice. If a former head of state can be held indefinitely without a trial, what protection is there for investors or partners?

The paralysis also extends to Tirana’s visionary mayor, Erion Veliaj, the architect of the Albania-Israel urban synergy. Veliaj explicitly modeled Tirana’s revival after Tel Aviv, calling it “the Tel Aviv of the Balkans” – a hub of innovation, youth culture and technology-led growth. He cultivated a relationship with Tel Aviv’s mayor, Ron Huldai, whom he calls a mentor, meeting several times to exchange ideas on urban transformation.

Veliaj’s initiative went further: he invited Israeli companies to the Tirana Economic Development Zone (TEDA), Albania’s first Free Economic Zone in Kashar. Positioned as a tax-free “paradise” for technology, automotive and digital firms, TEDA offers VAT exemptions and simplified customs procedures to bypass bureaucracy. During the “Tirana-Tel-Aviv Technology Week,” Veliaj called on Israeli startups to set up regional headquarters there, promising an easy gateway to Europe.

But since December, that vision has been frozen. Veliaj was in pretrial detention for several months, starting in February 2025, amid charges that critics call political persecution. Although Albania’s Constitutional Court overturned his dismissal in November 2025, reinstating him after a nine-month trial, he remains barred from physically attending city hall meetings. Reports from international law firms such as Kasowitz and Mishcon de Reya describe this as a case of targeted political retaliation that undermines democratic processes.

The irony is stark: the mayor who reached out to Israeli firms today cannot sign their permits. For an Israeli CEO considering TEDA, this is the ultimate intimidation – governance by a cell, blocking the dream of the “Tel Aviv of the Balkans.”

Albania has the history, geography, and strategic will to become Israel’s leading Balkan partner. But goodwill alone is not enough. The “Start-Up Nation” cannot thrive in a “Lock-Up Nation,” where legal uncertainty prevails. To unleash economic momentum, Albania must urgently restore the rule of law: normalize detention practices, guarantee due process, and fully reinstate leaders like Veliaj. Only then can the potential be turned into profit, transforming the “Tirana Trap” into a living bridge between two stable nations.


 


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