Editing History of Albania (section)

=== Democratization ===
[[File:Tirana from South.jpg|220px|thumb|right|After the fall of communism in Albania, a dramatic growth of new developments has taken place in [[Tirana]], with many new exclusive flats and apartments.]]

The [[Democratic Party of Albania|Democratic Party]] took control after winning the second [[multi-party elections]], deposing the [[Communist Party of Albania (1991)|Communist Party]]. Afterwards, [[Sali Berisha]] became the [[Presidents of Albania|second]] [[President of Albania|President]]. In 1995, Albania became the 35th member of the [[Council of Europe]] and requested membership in [[North Atlantic Treaty Organization]] (NATO).<ref>{{cite book|title=Bridging the Gap|publisher=Lulu.com|date = 2015 |first = Bert|last = Ayers|isbn=978-1-329-64683-4 |page=28|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=cAPYCgAAQBAJ&pg=PA28}}{{self-published source|date=February 2020}}</ref>{{self-published inline|date=February 2020}} Deliberate programmes of economic and democratic reforms were put in place, but Albanian inexperience with capitalism led to the proliferation of [[pyramid scheme]]s which grew and imploded around 1996-1997. These scams were not only allowed to go on, but in some cases even promoted by politicians and others in office and/or held power. These pyramid schemes are said to have directly affected about 1/3 of the Albanian population, and the devastating impact can still be seen today. [[Anomie|Anarchy]] in late 1996 to early 1997 alarmed the world and prompted international mediation.{{citation needed|date=June 2023}}

In the early spring 1997, [[Italy]] led a multinational military and humanitarian intervention ([[Operation Alba]]),<ref>{{Cite thesis|last=Alì|first=Maurizio|year=2003|title=L'attività di peacekeeping della Forza Multinazionale di Protezione in Albania|url=https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/hal-02181231|language=it|publisher=Università Roma Tre – Facoltà di Scienze Politiche|location=Rome, Italy|type=report |via=HAL}}</ref> authorized by the [[United Nations Security Council]], to help stabilize the country.<ref>{{cite web|title=Oberation Alba|url=http://www.un.int/slovenia/pk-alba.html|work=United Nations Website|publisher=Permanent Mission of Slovenia to the UN|access-date=4 January 2013|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081021051920/http://www.un.int/slovenia/pk-alba.html|archive-date=21 October 2008}}</ref> The government of Berisha collapsed in 1997 in the wake of the additional collapse of [[pyramid schemes]] and widespread corruption, which caused anarchy and rebellion throughout the country. The government attempted to suppress the rebellion by military force but the attempt failed, due to long-term corrosion of the [[Military of Albania]] due to political and social factors. Few months later, after the [[Albanian parliamentary election, 1997|1997 parliamentary elections]] the [[Democratic Party of Albania|Democratic Party]] was defeated by the [[Socialist Party of Albania|Socialist Party]], winning just 25 seats out of a total of 156. [[Sali Berisha]] resigned and the Socialists elected [[Rexhep Meidani]] as [[President of Albania|president]]. Including to that, the leader of the Socialists [[Fatos Nano]] was elected as [[Prime Minister of Albania|prime minister]], a post which he held until October 1998, when he resigned as a result of the tense situation created in the country after the assassination of [[Azem Hajdari]], a prominent leader of the [[Democratic Party of Albania|Democratic Party]]. Due to that, [[Pandeli Majko]] was then elected prime minister until November 1999, when he was replaced by [[Ilir Meta]]. The [[Parliament of Albania|Parliament]] adopted the current [[Constitution of Albania|Constitution]] on 29 November 1998. Albania approved its constitution through a popular referendum which was held in November 1998, but which was boycotted by the opposition. The general local elections of October 2000 marked the loss of control of the [[Democratic Party of Albania|Democrats]] over the local governments and a victory for the [[Albanian Socialist Party|Socialists]].

In 2001, Albania made strides toward democratic reform and the [[rule of law]], serious deficiencies in the electoral code remain to be addressed, as demonstrated in the [[Albanian parliamentary election, 2001|elections]].{{Citation needed|date=October 2009}} International observers judged the elections to be acceptable, but the [[Union for Victory Coalition]], the second-largest vote recipient, disputed the results and boycotted parliament until 31 January 2002. In June 2005, the democratic coalition formed a government with the [[Sali Berisha]]. His return to power in the elections of 3 July 2005 ended eight years of Socialist Party rule. After [[Alfred Moisiu]], in 2006 [[Bamir Topi]] was elected [[President of Albania]] until 2010. Despite the [[Politics of Albania|political situation]], the [[economy of Albania]] grew at an [[List of countries by GDP (real) growth rate|estimated]] 5% in 2007. The [[Albanian lek]] has strengthened from 143 lekë to the US dollar in 2000 to 92 lekë in 2007.