Among other things, this process will require the harmonization and rationalization of Government strategies and legislation. Environmental management instruments Albania has many relevant environmental statutes, but very limited enforcement of them. Inspectors may impose fines, withdraw permits, suspend or close operations, and enforce environmental crime statutes. Fines, however, are rarely paid, because collection procedures are slow and cumbersome. These problems are compounded by poor cooperation among the inspectorates responsible for environmental and public health matters-i.e., NEA, municipal, health, forestry, and others.
Environmental monitoring is a weak link in Albania's environmental management chain.
It was completely discontinued for some years after 1990, and reliable information today remains difficult to obtain. Responsibility for monitoring is spread across several Government institutions, including the NEA, Institute of Soils, Public Health Institute, and Hydrometeorological Institute. A result of this dispersion of responsibility is that data collection is often redundant and lacking in standard methodology. At the same time, substantial gaps in knowledge persist. These problems must be remedied in order to build sustainable and enforceable environmental policies.