Albania Local Finance Policy Note : Programmatic Public Expenditure and Institutional Review

Albania has undertaken major reforms in its system of local government finance since 2000. What had been a system in which local functions were ambiguous and financing was largely provided through tightly controlled earmarked grants is now one in w...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author:	World Bank
Format:	Policy Note
Language:	English en_US
Published:	Washington, DC 2014
Subjects:	ADMINISTRATIVE BURDEN ADMINISTRATIVE COSTS AGGREGATE DEBT ARREARS BENEFICIARIES BENEFICIARY BLOCK GRANTS BUDGET CONSTRAINTS BUDGETING BUSINESS LICENSES BUSINESS TAX REVENUE CALCULATION CAPITAL ALLOCATION CAPITAL GRANTS CAPITAL INVESTMENT CAPITAL INVESTMENTS CAPITAL MARKET CAPITAL MARKETS CASH PAYMENTS CENTRAL GOVERNMENT GUARANTEES CENTRAL GOVERNMENTS CITIES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY SERVICES CONTRACTUAL OBLIGATIONS CONTRIBUTION CONTRIBUTIONS CURRENT RATE DEBT DEBT LIMITATIONS DEBT SERVICE DEBT STOCK DECENTRALIZATION DEFICITS DELINQUENT CUSTOMERS DEPRECIATION ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ECONOMIC MANAGEMENT EQUALIZATION EXPENDITURE RESPONSIBILITIES EXPENDITURES FINANCIAL ADMINISTRATION GARBAGE COLLECTION GENERAL PUBLIC GOVERNMENT BORROWING GOVERNMENT BUDGET GOVERNMENT DEBT GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURE GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES GOVERNMENT FINANCE GOVERNMENT FUNDING GOVERNMENT GUARANTEES GOVERNMENT INVESTMENTS GOVERNMENT SUBSIDIES GOVERNMENT SUPPORT GRACE PERIODS GRANT ALLOCATION GRANT ALLOCATIONS GRANT DISTRIBUTION GRANT PROGRAMS HEALTH INSURANCE HOUSING INCOME TAX INFORMATION SYSTEM INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT INSURANCE INTEREST RATES INTERGOVERNMENTAL TRANSFERS INTERNATIONAL BORROWING INTERNATIONAL MARKETS INVESTMENT DECISIONS INVESTMENT FINANCING INVESTMENT FUNDS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT ISSUANCE LACK OF TRANSPARENCY LAND MANAGEMENT LARGE CITIES LARGE COMPANIES LAWS LEGISLATION LEVEL OF EDUCATION LIABILITY LICENSES LOAN LOCAL AUTONOMY LOCAL BUSINESS LOCAL FINANCE LOCAL GOVERNMENT LOCAL GOVERNMENT BORROWING LOCAL GOVERNMENT EXPENDITURES LOCAL GOVERNMENT FINANCE LOCAL GOVERNMENT REVENUES LOCAL GOVERNMENT SPENDING LOCAL GOVERNMENTS LOCAL SPENDING LOCAL TAXES LONG TERM DEBT LOW INCOME MIGRATION MUNICIPAL MUNICIPAL INFRASTRUCTURE MUNICIPAL REVENUE MUNICIPAL SERVICES MUNICIPALITIES NATIONAL INVESTMENT OPERATING REVENUE OUTREACH PROGRAM OWNERSHIP DATA PAYMENT OF DEBT PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS PENSION PENSION CONTRIBUTIONS PERSONAL INCOME POVERTY RATES PRIVATE BANKS PRIVATE CAPITAL PRIVATE FINANCIAL SECTOR PROPERTY TAX PROPERTY TAX ADMINISTRATION PROPERTY TAXES PROVISIONS PUBLIC PUBLIC BORROWING PUBLIC EXPENDITURE PUBLIC INVESTMENT PUBLIC RESOURCES PUBLIC SECTOR PUBLIC SERVICES PUBLIC SPENDING PUBLIC WORKS RAPID GROWTH RATES OF RETURN REAL ESTATE RECURRENT COST RECURRENT COSTS RECURRENT EXPENDITURES REVENUE ASSIGNMENT REVENUE COLLECTION ROADS SALARIES SALES SECONDARY EDUCATION SECURITIES SENIOR SEWERAGE SERVICES SHAREHOLDERS SHORT TERM DEBT SMALL BUSINESS SMALL BUSINESSES SOCIAL ASSISTANCE SOCIAL PROTECTION SOCIAL SECURITY SOCIAL SERVICES SOLID WASTE COLLECTION STAKEHOLDERS STREETS STRUCTURE OF GOVERNMENT SUBNATIONAL GOVERNMENTS SUPERVISORY BOARD TARIFF REVENUE TAX TAX ASSIGNMENT TAX COLLECTIONS TAX RATE TAX REVENUE TAX REVENUES TAX SHARING TAXATION TELECOMMUNICATIONS TRANSPARENCY TRANSPORT TREASURY TURNOVER URBAN DEVELOPMENT URBAN MIGRATION URBAN PLANNING URBAN POPULATION URBAN SERVICES UTILITIES VALUABLE VALUATION VALUATIONS VARIABLE INTEREST RATES WAGE WAGES WATER SUPPLY WATER SUPPLY SYSTEMS WORTH
Online Access:	http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/en/2008/09/9857742/albania-local-finance-policy-note-programmatic-public-expenditure-institutional-review http://hdl.handle.net/10986/18920

Description
Summary:	Albania has undertaken major reforms in its system of local government finance since 2000. What had been a system in which local functions were ambiguous and financing was largely provided through tightly controlled earmarked grants is now one in which functions are relatively clear and local governments have more autonomy over the allocation of funds. A new system of competitive grants for infrastructure investment has been introduced. Parliament has enacted a new law on local borrowing. Within this framework, however, several controversies remain which are addressed in this policy note. In the long term Albania must also grapple with certain organizational issues. One is the role of regional governments, which now lack any major clearly defined function. While the Government's decentralization strategy proposes a range of possible functions for regional governments, most of these roles could be carried out through other means. The other organizational issue is the consolidation of small communes. The Government's decentralization strategy proposes the eventual consolidation of small local governments into larger units. International experience, however, suggests that the efficiency gains of consolidation are limited and may not be sufficient to justify the political costs of doing so. Efforts to consolidate local governments should consider alternative solutions such as inter-municipal agreements and joint service companies before proceeding.

Albania Local Finance Policy Note : Programmatic Public Expenditure and Institutional Review

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