# Linda Rama

Linda Rama (née Basha; born December 30, 1964) is a senior Albanian economist (Doctor of Economics), researcher, university lecturer, and advocate for women's and children's rights. She is the wife of Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama.

## General Profile

After graduating from the University of Tirana School of Economics in 1987, Linda began her professional career at the Tirana Textile Combine. Just one year after the fall of communism (1992), she left Albania to pursue advanced studies in Prague, Czech Republic, becoming the first economist with a Master's degree in Economics to return to Albania in the 1990s. In 1996, she obtained a Ph.D. in Economics with a thesis on "The Economic Reform and Mass Privatization in Albania". Between 1993 and 1998, Linda Rama offered her expertise at the highest levels of public administration (National Privatization Agency under the Council of Ministers), first focusing on the privatization of large and strategic state-owned enterprises and later as Director General of the Agency (1997-1998). In March 1999, she co-founded the Human Development Promotion Center (HDPC) and has since served as a consultant to numerous international institutions.
She was a member of the Supervisory Board of the Share Registration Center, which preceded the establishment of the Albanian Stock Exchange (1996 - 1999). Throughout her professional life, Linda has held various positions, including Member and Chairman of the Board of the Open Society Foundation in Albania (2005 - 2010), Member of the Board of Directors of the American Bank of Investment (2015 - 2018), and Lecturer in International Finance at the University of Tirana, School of Economics, and Lecturer in Public Policy and Risk Management at the European University of Tirana.
Her strong academic and research interests have always been strongly driven by her sensitivity towards the most vulnerable groups of society, such as children, women, vulnerable categories, people with disabilities or minorities. In 2001, she was one of the co-founders of the Albanian Children's Alliance, and in 2002, she was an accredited participant in the meetings of the Preparatory Committee for the UN General Assembly Special Session on Children. At present, she continues her engagement as a researcher at the Human Development Promotion Center (HDPC) and as a consultant to various international institutions with a focus on economic, public policy and human development issues.
Since 2010, Linda is married to the 33rd Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania, Mr. Edi Rama.

## Early life

Linda Rama was born into an old Tirana family. Her father was a musician and played the horn, while her mother worked in the administration department of the former Auto-tractor Combine. As a child, she attended the “Kosova” Primary School, which operated under a then experimental bilingual system (Albanian and English), and the 8-year "20 Vjetori" School in Tirana. She completed her secondary education in Industrial Chemistry and graduated with honors from the Faculty of Economics, University of Tirana, with a degree in Industrial Economics in 1987. In the same year, she started teaching as a part-time lecturer at the University, focusing on Organization and Planning of Industrial Enterprises. In 1992, Ms. Rama was admitted to the Central European University in Prague, where she earned a Master's Degree in Economics.
After completing her studies, Ms. Rama returned to work as a lecturer in International Finance at a public university and later taught Public Policy and Public Risk Management at the European University of Tirana.

## Professional career

Linda Rama's first professional experience was at the Tirana Textile Combine, a typical socialist enterprise, where she was employed after graduation. After completing her Master's Degree in Economics, Linda returned to Albania to join the National Privatization Agency under the Council of Ministers as an officer responsible for designing and implementing the privatization of large strategic enterprises. During her time at the Agency, Linda Rama made a significant contribution to the introduction of modern market concepts, including joint stock companies, mass privatization, shares, investment funds, guarantee funds, stock exchange, etc.
One year after completing her Ph.D., between 1997 and 1998, Linda Rama was appointed Director General of the National Privatization Agency once the pyramid schemes collapsed. Rebellion of 1997
In addition to her undergraduate studies in economics, Linda Rama specialized in the labor market and the financial restructuring of companies. During and after her Master's studies, Linda Rama collaborated with renowned scholars and professors from other countries, with whom she has numerous collaborations in scientific research$^{[2]}$ (SEE MORE UNDER "SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH").
In 1999, she co-founded the Human Development Promotion Center (HDPC), one of the first think tanks in the Republic of Albania. HDPC plays a crucial role in promoting constructive dialogue on topical issues such as the economy, governance, human development, public administration, regional development and related reforms.
Between 1996 and 1999, Linda Rama served as a member of the Supervisory Board of the Share Registration Center, which preceded the establishment of the Albanian Stock Exchange (1996 - 1999). She was also appointed as a member and Chair of the Management Committee of the Open Society Foundation in Albania (2005 - 2010), and later as a member of the Board of Directors of the American Bank of Investment (2015 - 2018).

## Scientific Research

Linda Rama is the main author, co-author and contributor of dozens of studies, reports, articles and publications focused on the economy, private sector development, governance, education, human development and public administration, combining a strong academic interest with her own active interest in issues of public concern and special sensitivity towards the most vulnerable groups of society - women, children, vulnerable categories, people with disabilities and minorities. In the course of almost 30 years of scientific research, Linda Rama counts more than 50 articles and reports on economic, social and human development issues in Albania, published in the country and abroad.
As a main author, co-author and contributor, she has published articles, evaluations or monitoring reports for major international organizations such as the World Bank, International Labour Organization (United Nations Organization), UNDP, UNWOMEN, University of Staffordshire, LSE, ETF, CASE Foundation, etc.
She has worked with such notable figures as Leszek Balcerowicz, a two-time Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance of Poland. Balcerowicz's was the initiator of a series of reforms that ended hyperinflation, balanced the budget deficit, and dismantled inefficient economic structures in the early post-communist years in Poland; Ewa Balcerowicz, CASE Poland, Iraj Hashi, Professor at the Staffordshire Business School, Alia Moubayed of the Middle East Institute, Sergej Tsvetarsky, President of the National Statistical Institute of Bulgaria, Farhad Merham, ILO International Expert, Arjan Gjonçaj, Associate Professor at the LSE, Peter Middlebrook, etc.

## Public profile

Civic engagement in gender equality, children's rights and ethnic minorities has gone hand in hand with Linda's research work. She has authored, co-authored and contributed to many publications on the situation of the most vulnerable groups in society. Publications such as Improving Ethnic Relations in Southeast Europe, Human Development Reports, Regional Millennium Development Goals Reports, Monitoring Report on the Implementation of the Roma Decade in Albania, Developing a Sustainable System for Addressing Violence against Women in Albania, Assessment of Trafficking in Children for Exploitation Purposes in Albania, Poverty Alleviation and Social Integration of People with Disabilities, etc. have had a significant impact on steering public policies focused on children, women and vulnerable groups.
In 2001, together with representatives of six other civil society organizations, Linda Rama co-founded the Albanian Children Alliance, an Albanian-based civil society movement for the protection of children's rights, part of the larger Global Children's Movement, under the motto "Say YES for Children". Ms. Rama was accredited by the UN to participate in the preparatory committee meetings for the UN General Assembly Special Session on Children in 2002.
Linda Rama has participated in many important human rights forums and summits, including the Global Women Summit in Tirana, the Global Women Club Kosovo, the Women in Leadership Forum in Dubai, the Young Muslim Women Summit, the UN ECOSOC Youth Forum, and others. She joined the Cherie Blair Foundation's Women's Entrepreneurship Day appeal in support of women entrepreneurs from low and middle income countries with Cherie Blair, Hillary Clinton and other international personalities and later a second appeal "Pave the Way to Girls". In March 2022, Ms. Rama sent a message of solidarity to Olena Zelenska and the people of Ukraine.
Linda Rama believes that maintaining or not a public profile, as the wife of a Prime Minister, is a personal decision. "In making this choice, my first and abiding conviction has been the right of the public to demand and receive the deserved effective protagonism of the person they elected as their Prime Minister, not that of his spouse."
True to her choice, Linda Rama has been present in public only in those instances that she has deemed meaningful and useful to the public. She has been a vocal advocate for causes she believes in, calling for greater public attention to children, women in communities, the role of women in the media, government, politics, etc.

## Personal life

Linda Rama married Thanas Xhillari in 1989 and they have one daughter, Rea Xhillari. Since 2010, she is married to Edi Rama, the 33rd Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania. They have one son, Zaho Rama, born in 2014.
The Ramas are an interfaith family. Linda Rama was born in a Muslim household. Edi Rama has declared himself Catholic, Rea and Gregori (Edi Rama's son from a previous marriage) are Orthodox, while Zaho's faith will be his choice.
To learn more about Linda Rama’s professional and public profile, visit her official website www.linda.al.
List of scientific publications
Studies and publications on economics.
1. "Social Insecurity" (1995) - The paper provides five necessary reforms on pension schemes while introducing private pension funds along with reforming efforts of state pension schemes is widely addressed in the paper by bringing details on different experiences in several countries such as Poland, Czech Republic, Slovenia and the Baltic States, etc.
2. "Privatization Five Years After" (1996) - The paper highlights many examples of privatization in favor of insiders, fast sold-out privatization to domestic buyers, and slow sales through tenders, auctions, IPOs, etc.
3. "The Power Brokers, A Survey of Energy in the Post-Communist World" (1996) - The paper discusses the need to attract foreign investment in the energy sector, increase independence from certain foreign energy resources through improved efficiency and better use of domestically available substitutes.
4. "Shifting Trade Winds: Survey of the Changing Patterns of International Trade in Transition Countries" (1996) - The paper provides analysis on the difficulties faced while opening markets, the role of small business spirit to challenge the dominance of former state trading houses, the need for governments to play a role so that trade grew beyond one-man operations, the evolution of the problem of financing trade in the absence of finances and financial mechanisms and institutions, the way back to neighborhood trade etc.
5. "The Taxman Cometh - Taxation and the Post-Communist Transition: A Survey" (1997) - The paper discusses how high tax rates have led to an increase in the shadow economy and corruption of state officials in Eastern European countries.
6. "Barriers to Entry and Growth of New Firms in Albania" (1998) - This study presents the results of research coordinated by Leszek Balcerowicz and conducted by an international team.
7. "Privatization and transition in Albania" (1999) - This paper focuses on the privatization policy and its role in Albania's transition to a market economy.
8. "Enabling Small Enterprise Development through a Better Business Environment" (2002) - This report presents the results of a survey of the tools, processes and mechanisms used by donor agencies in their work.
9. "Barriers to Entry and their Impact on Firms' Performance in Albania" (2003) - The study focuses on the legal, fiscal, institutional and financial factors that impede the entry of new firms and slow down the expansion of newly established firms.
10. "Removing Administrative Barriers to Investment" (2003) - The report analyzes the situation and recommends a series of measures to address the problems. Following this FIAS study, the Albanian government moved to establish an inter-ministerial task force in 2003.
11. "Albania - Poverty Assessment" (2003) - The report provides a holistic overview of Albania's poverty assessment with numerous components such as poverty line assessment, rural and urban poverty, determinants of poverty, household characteristics, labor market characteristics, non-income dimensions of poverty, health and education.
12. "Sustaining Growth Beyond the Transition" (2004) - The report provides insight into Albania's cumulative growth performance, made possible by numerous macroeconomic stabilization and structural reforms, total factor productivity, and migrant remittances.
13. "Restructuring Public Expenditure to Sustain Growth, Vol. I" (2006) - The report provides a thorough overview, analysis and recommendations on public expenditure strategies and policies in Albania, in view of the country's challenge to sustain growth and poverty reduction.
14. "Albania Restructuring Public Expenditure to Sustain Growth, Vol. II" (2006) - The report finds that public expenditure policies are at the core of development challenges.
15. "Skills Needs in Albania" (2014 & 2017) - The reports provide snapshots of skills needs and shortages and their dynamics in the country, as reported by employers.
16. "The Role of the Public Sector in Albania's EU Accession" (2022) - The study focuses on the assessment of the negotiation structure in terms of the space it creates for the involvement of the private sector and the collection of the opinions of representatives of public institutions, business associations and companies themselves on various aspects of the process and the resulting expectations.
Studies and publications on human development.
1. "Human Development Report Albania (1998, 2000)" - The reports for each year, provide recommendations such as prudent macroeconomic policies combined with social policies and regional development plans to pursue the goals of sustainable human development.
2. "Living Conditions and Inequality in Albania" - The study examines the inequalities in the standard of living of Albanians, not only its economic aspect, but also in the provision of services such as health and education, the provision of shelter, as well as how all these factors affect the level of poverty and health status of the population.
3. "Human Development Report Albania 2002: Challenges of Local Governance and Regional Development" - The report draws relevant comparisons between the economic and social conditions in the poorest regions and in the rapidly growing urban centers in Albania.
4. "Promoting Local Development through the MDGs: Shkodra, Dibra, Elbasan and Berat" - Strategic document that localizes the MDG targets and indicators and examines the way to use them as instruments to promote comprehensive regional development, in order to fulfill the obligations resulting from the signing of "The Albanian Response to the Millennium Development Goals".
5. "Kosovo Human Development Report 2006, Youth: A new generation for a new Kosovo" - The Kosovo HDR 2006 addresses the issues facing young people and seeks to improve their access to policy-making by examining the role of youth in Kosovo's development processes, including issues related to education, employment, decision-making, civic cohesion and participation in society at large.
6. "Learning to learn and entrepreneurship learning competencies in VET and higher education" - The study provides valuable insights into existing phenomena and urges policy makers to include learning to learn and entrepreneurship learning competencies in the national education reform agenda.
7. "Entrepreneurial learning vocational education and training in Albania" - This report examines Albania's ambition to align its educational, economic and training system agenda with those of other countries.
8. "Human Development Report Albania, Functionality" - The report provides insights into key challenges related to corruption issues and the inefficient and unreformed justice system in place.
9. "Career Guidance and Counseling Service Level at Public and Private Universities in Albania" - The study aims to provide an in-depth assessment of the current development status of CG services in HEIs, identify weaknesses and best practices, and provide a set of recommendations to strengthen CCGS in HEIs.
10. "Continuing Professional Development for Vocational Teachers and Principals in Albania - 2018" - The report identifies the issues that were considered most urgent in the results of the CDP survey, and the recommendations that were considered most feasible.
11. "Digital Competences of Teachers in Albania" - This report is part of a project to develop and test a self-assessment process to identify and analyze the digital competences of teachers in five countries (Albania, Montenegro, Moldova, North Macedonia and Serbia), to analyze relevant current CPD provision and to identify CPD needs.
Monitoring and Evaluation.
1. "The Albanian Response to the Millennium Development Goals" - The report assesses the activities undertaken after Albania's accession to several declarations and conventions of the 1990s, as well as all MDG-related targets and indicators relevant to Albanian conditions, and offers suggestions for achieving the set goals.
2. "Child Trafficking in Tirana, Vlora, Korca And Elbasan" - The study aims to identify the patterns of child trafficking involving Albanian children, especially the children's views on the role of the family, issues and the nature of the trafficking experience.
3. "Persons with Disabilities in Albania: Poverty Alleviation and Integration" - The study is based on the analysis of the current national and sectoral development strategies and the existing legal regulatory framework in support of persons with disabilities, as well as on the direct assessments of persons with disabilities and the representatives of their associations.
4. "Third Sector Development in Albania: Challenges and Opportunities" - The study argues how the history of civil society activism in Albania coincides with the history of the Albanian transition and the imposed problems associated with it in four main phases, widely described.
5. "Civil Society Monitoring Report on the Implementation of the Roma Integration Strategy in Albania" - The report concludes with a set of recommendations addressed to the Parliament, the Ombudsman, the Government, civil society and Roma associations in order to implement the Roma Integration Strategy.
6. "Developing a Sustainable System for Addressing Violence against Women in Albania" - The study argues that the profile of domestic violence in Albania today appears more complex and severe than before, due to a protracted and challenging transition.
7. "Women in Boards & Senior Positions in Companies Operating in Albania" - The research shows that women mostly occupy positions that require intensive and systematic work, while men are mostly found in positions where important company decisions are made.
8. "Pillars of Civil Society, more effective cooperation between civil and state sector in Albania" - The report examines the achievements of the NPO Academy 2015-2018 and provides findings and recommendations as guidance for future program design and implementation, cooperation and exchange of experiences among NPO leaders and organizations.
Other studies and publications.
1. "Poverty in a prolonged transition" - The article discusses the impact of the prolonged transition of the Albanian economy on multiple dimensions of poverty.
2. "Rationalizing Social Spending to Accelerate Social Development" - The article examines public spending on social sectors in Albania in the light of the recently signed SAA with the European Union.
3. "Sustainable Development Strategy of the Municipality of Gjakovë/Dakovica".
4. "Work-Based Learning in EU Candidate Countries" - The study shows that the majority of candidate countries still lack robust mechanisms for financing WBL.
5. "Country Brief - Albania 2021" - As part of the integrated monitoring of the EU Council Recommendation on VET and the Osnabrück Declaration, the brief briefly describes the regulation and governance of initial and continuing vocational education and training (including adult education) and the ongoing reforms in these areas, including relevant legislative changes.