Policy Brief – AI in Public Procurement in Albania, a roadmap for balanced innovation in public policy, May 2026

This paper, authored by Alba Brojka for the European Movement in Albania (EMA), examines the opportunities and risks associated with the adoption of artificial intelligence in public procurement in Albania, offering a roadmap for balanced and responsible innovation in public policy. It argues that while Albania has positioned itself as an early adopter of digital technologies, including through its high-profile appointment of an AI system, “Diella,” as a government minister with oversight over public procurement, this ambition has outpaced the legal, institutional, and technical foundations necessary for safe and accountable AI deployment.

The paper analyses three interlinked dimensions: (i) the practical landscape of AI use in public procurement globally, including when and how AI systems can be deployed across the pre-tendering, tendering, and post-award phases, and what risks arise from data quality, algorithmic transparency, and skills gaps; (ii) the international and EU regulatory frameworks governing AI, with particular attention to the EU AI Act’s risk-based approach and its implications for Albania as an EU candidate country obliged to progressively align with the acquis; and (iii) the current state of Albania’s national legal and institutional preparedness, identifying significant gaps in its procurement legislation and institutional capacity to monitor and audit AI systems in use.

The paper finds that Albania’s 2024 amendments to its Public Procurement Law introduce permissive but non-specific provisions for AI use, without adequately identifying public benefit, managing risks, or clarifying accountability. It further notes that the country lacks an approved National AI Strategy and has not established the regulatory infrastructure needed to govern AI deployment in public policy in line with EU standards.

The paper concludes with concrete recommendations for both the procurement sector and the broader public policy environment, emphasising that AI should not be introduced into public decision-making without a functioning regulatory framework, unbiased training data, transparent procurement processes, trained staff, and continuous human oversight, warning that absent these safeguards, AI risks replicating existing patterns of corruption and discrimination rather than remedying them.

Policy Brief – AI in Public Procurement in Albania, a roadmap for balanced innovation in public policy, May 2026

This material was produced within the project “Building Partnership on Fundamentals: Empowered CSOs in the EU accession process”, with the financial support of the European Union. Its content is the sole responsibility of the European Movement in Albania and the authors, and does not necessarily reflect the views and positions of the European Union.

The project “Building Partnership on Fundamentals: Empowered CSOs in the EU accession process” is being implemented by the European Movement in Albania (EMA), with the financial support of the European Union – IPA Civil Society Facility 2021, in cooperation with the Academy of European Integration and Negotiations (AIEN), Slovak Foreign Policy Association (SFPA) and the Center for Transparency and Freedom of Information (CTFI).