Perception of the Quality of Public Services in the Vlora Region Before and After the Territorial Reform

Abstract

The administrative-territorial reform undertaken in Albania in 2015 represents a profound intervention in the institutional architecture of local government, with the aim of consolidating administrative units, improving institutional efficiency and increasing the quality of public services for citizens. This paper aims to analyze the impacts of this reform in the Vlora region, a region with specific geographical, economic and cultural characteristics, by offering an interdisciplinary approach that combines institutional analysis with socio-economic and administrative assessment. Through an analysis of statistical data, legal documents and local reports, the study addresses the transformation of the structure of local units in this region, the changes in the provision of public services, as well as the effects on democratic representation and sustainable development. The findings show that, although the reform has had a positive impact on improving local revenues and rationalizing services in urban areas, it has created new challenges in peripheral areas, where accessibility and civic involvement have weakened. The paper argues for a review of decentralization mechanisms and the development of instruments that guarantee institutional cohesion and territorial equity in service delivery. In this way, it contributes to the scholarly debate on territorial reforms in transition countries and offers concrete recommendations for policymakers and local administrations.