Towards European Integration. A Comparative Analysis of the Constitutional Courts of Kosovo and Albania

Abstract

The constitutions and lower-level legislation of Kosovo and Albania were established with strong Western influence since both countries are striving to meet the rule of law requirements of the international community in order to become full members of the European Union in the future. This shared ambition has created similar legal frameworks, with European standards for the functioning of the constitutional courts of the two countries. Although they differ in some elements, both the Kosovo and the Albanian legislation stand out among the constitutional courts of Southeast Europe as a result of the progressive regulations of the countries. Although constitutional courts are independent institutions, their decisions have a strong impact on the internal political relations of a country, making them a significant political factor.