Research | ZÂNI

This page collects research and analysis written by ZÂNI members. Our work reflects the range of disciplines, institutions, and perspectives represented across our diaspora and homeland membership. The pieces gathered here engage with questions of governance, law, environmental policy, and Albania's place within broader European and international frameworks, often examining how specific legal or institutional decisions affect communities, ecosystems, and the long-term direction of Albanian lands.

Much of this work is produced collaboratively and reflects research in progress; it is intended less as a final word than as a contribution to an ongoing conversation. Readers are invited to engage with it critically and to take part in that conversation.

The Illegal Law: The Fight For Albania’s Natural Heritage

In a BBC article from years ago, Albania constituted what Europe had irretrievably lost: a last true wilderness. [1] As the journalist observed, Albania reflects a unique case where much of its nature remains pristine despite the external development pressures that open markets impose. Sensational-ist and, to an extent, neo-colonialist headlines like this characterized much of Albania’s transition from communism, with western journals overwhelmingly covering the intersection

Jun 1332 min read

Lost in Translation: Does North Macedonia Have an Obligation to offer the Bar Exam in Albanian?

Authors: Bekim Bruka & Erta Hoxha Today, Albanian students in North Macedonia held a protest against the Ministry of Justice’s decision not to offer the bar exam in Albanian, alongside Macedonian. Following months of advocacy efforts and requests by student unions and Albanian political parties, the demonstration highlights a growing frustration with the country’s reluctance and practical inadequacy to ensure a Constitutional right. Albanian is the native tongue of at lea

Apr 63 min read

Can Kosovo Power an AI Data Center?

A plain-language guide to new report findings on the feasibility of building an AI data center in Kosovo. Table of Contents 1. Executive Summary 2. Energy Power System Assessment for an AI Data Center in Kosovo 3. Human Capital and Society 4. Economic and Fiscal Rationale for Hosting Large-Scale Data Centers in Kosovo 5. Infrastructure and Location 6. Policy and Government Readiness 7. University and Ecosystem Executive Summary Given the increasing

Feb 2234 min read