Albania in Transition

In early 1997, Albania's transition to democracy suffered a serious setback when pyramid schemes sparked violent unrest, plunging the country into its worst political and economic crisis since the down-fall of communism. The uprisings and subsequent elections, in which the Socialist Party won a landslide victory, have made front-page news in the international community. And Albania's proximity to the Yugoslavian melee and history of extreme radical communism make it a nation to watch. In Albania in Transition, Elez Biberaj provides a comprehensive political profile of Albania since 1989. He charts Albania's transition from one party to many, from a command economy to a market economy, and its transition to a national security state in an unpredictable, post-cold War international security regime.