LOCAL AND REGIONAL STRUCTURES IN ALBANIA
Albania is a unitary country made of counties (qarku), districts (rrethe), communes (komuna) and municipalities (bashkia).
Local level: 309 communes and 65 municipalities
Municipal authorities
The local council is the deliberative body of the commune or municipality. Its members are elected by direct, universal suffrage for three years. It establishes the level of local taxes and adopts regulations.
The chair is the executive body of a municipality or commune, and is elected by direct, universal suffrage for three years.
Competences
. Culture
. Youth and sports
. Primary education
. Social affairs
. Public health
. Protection of the environment
. Roads
. Land and urban development
Regional level: 12 counties and 36 districts
County authorities
The regional council can issue decisions that are binding within the region. A number of its members are representatives of the municipalities and communes from within the region while others are elected from among the municipal or communal councillors by their respective councils. The chairs of the communes and municipalities are de facto members of the regional council.
The prefect is appointed by the Council of Ministers as its representative in each region. The prefect monitors the legality of administrative decisions taken by local government and coordinates the activities of state bodies at local level.
District authorities
Districts consist of several communes or municipalities with joint economic, social and traditional ties. Their main function is to coordinate the activities of municipal and communal councils. They study and approve municipal proposals on issues such as the environment and social and economic development.
