Legal framework on freedom of religion and actual application
Albania’s constitution,[1] adopted in October 1998 (revised in 2016), declares “religious coexistence” as a basic principle of the state (Preamble and Article 3). The republic is a secular state (Article 10). It guarantees freedom of conscience and religion, including the right to choose or change religion or beliefs and to express them “individually or collectively, in public or in private life” through worship, “education, practices or the performance of rituals” (Article 24, 2). Article 18 prohibits discrimination on religious grounds. Political parties and other organisations “whose programs or activity are based on totalitarian methods, which incite and support racial, religious, regional or ethnic hatred”, are prohibited (Article 9).
Causing destruction or damage to religious places of worship (Article 132) and interfering with religious ceremonies (Article 133) are punishable offences under the Criminal Code.[2]
Under the constitution, religious communities are equal before the law and their relations with the state are regulated by official agreements (Article 10). The government does not require registration or licencing of religious groups, but the State Committee for Cults oversees relations between the government and religious communities.[3]
According to Albania’s 2023 census, most Albanians traditionally belong to one of four main religious communities historically present in the country: two Muslim (Sunni, the majority, and Bektashis), and two Christian (Roman Catholic and the Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania).[4]
The Council of Europe criticised the Albanian government in the past for utilising an unreliable census methodology.[5] In its most recent opinion, however, the Council recognised Albania’s efforts to implement some of its recommendations for improving census taking.[6]
As of the end of 2024, the issue of the restitution of properties belonging to religious groups expropriated during the communist era remained unsolved.[7] The European Commission has been critical of Albania’s internal procedures and has called on the government to “correct cadastral data, finalize pending legislation, and complete compensations” for stakeholders.[8]
Albanian law requires permits to build houses of worship. However, they can be obtained retrospectively through an amnesty for buildings constructed without permission from planning authorities. Some 47 such permits were issued in 2023, as compared to 97 in 2022.[9]
Incidents and developments
The Council of Europe’s Advisory Committee on the Framework Convention for the Protection of National Minorities has emphasised in its most recent (2012) review of Albania that religious harmony and mutual respect are characteristics of Albanian society.[10]
A 2023 report funded by the European Union highlighted that Albanian society was largely tolerant of multiple religious identities and affiliations, and that local media tend to be neutral when they present stories involving religion. Social media also tends towards a tolerant treatment of religion by users.[11]
The latest official figures for religion-biased hate crimes were not reported by Albanian authorities to the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) of the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OCSE) for inclusion in the 2023 annual hate crime report.[12]
According to the European Commission Staff Working Document Albania 2023 Report, the government allocated “EUR 1.05 million to the Catholic, Sunni Muslim, Orthodox, and Bektashi communities for the administrative functioning of the communities and religious education, a similar amount as the previous year.”[13] However, the report also indicated that some religious groups have to rely on funding from third parties, which creates certain vulnerabilities. In its 2024 Report, the Commission noted that religious freedom is generally upheld in Albania. It cautioned, however, that in recent years, foreign entities have made increasing attempts to influence religious groups in Albania.[14]
On 1 February 2025, Father Pandeli witnessed two individuals vandalise icons and other objects of worship at the Resurrection of Christ Church in Ksamil. The police detained the two shortly after the incident for questioning.[15]
In the 2023 Islamophobia in Albania National Report, Albanian authorities were criticised for doing little to accommodate Muslim employees in the workplace. Some employers, for example, often fail to provide flexible schedules that would allow employees to perform their Friday prayers while managing work responsibilities.[16]
In the same report, the appointment of Mustafa Nano as the Albanian ambassador to Switzerland was met with a backlash on social media from the Muslim community because of his perceived Islamophobia.[17]
In September 2023, the Municipality of Tirana published a promotional poster of the city with the image of Skanderbeg Square, notably omitting the historic Ethem Beu Mosque. This sparked negative reactions within the Muslim community, which saw the omission as an act of erasure.[18]
In 2023, plans for a Holocaust Museum were announced by the Ministry of Culture to celebrate the history of Jews in Albania.[19]
Similarly, in August 2024, Albanian authorities announced plans to open a Jewish Museum in Vlora to commemorate World War II heroes, supported by the Albanian-American Development Foundation (AADF). Writing about the museum, the Albanian Times reported that, “Albanians are proud of the fact that their country was the only Nazi-occupied country with more Jews after WWII than before. Almost all native Jews survived the Holocaust, and several thousand Jewish refugees were sheltered and protected from Nazi persecution. The museum in Vlora will showcase this unique story, dedicated to the peaceful coexistence of Jews and Albanians over time.”[20]
In September 2024, Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama was honoured at the UN General Assembly for his leadership in the fight against antisemitism.[21]
Also in September 2024, the prime minister announced his intention to set up a sovereign, Vatican-style enclave for the Bektashis, a Shi‘a Sufi order. The plan would be to establish a Muslim state within the capital city, Tirana, to promote religious tolerance. The microstate would be called the Sovereign State of the Bektashi Order.[22] According to the New York Times, the leader of the Bektashi community, Edmond Brahimaj, known to his followers as Baba Mondi, the new state “will allow alcohol, let women wear what they want and impose no lifestyle rules”.[23]
There were no adverse judgments against Albania during the relevant reporting period by the European Court of Human Rights relating to violations of freedom of religion.
On another positive note, on 29 September 2023, the Interreligious Council of Albania, in collaboration with the Interreligious Councils of Europe, hosted an International Forum in Tirana. The event gathered religious leaders and representatives from across Europe to promote interfaith dialogue, mutual understanding, and co-operation among faith communities. It provided a valuable platform for sharing best practices and reaffirming Albania’s longstanding tradition of religious harmony within a broader European framework.[24]
Prospects for freedom of religion
Overall, the religious tolerance fostered by the state between the various religious communities contributes to religious stability within Albanian society. Prospects for religious freedom remain positive.
Sources
Albania