This study seeks to shed light on the changes currently occurring in Greece, Cyprus and Bulgaria on the energy transition process by examining the relevant consequences for power plant workers in the green energy market. The main aim of this paper is to explore the impacts of the implemented policies on the labour force of electricity generation stations and to identify learning needs for new skills and competences. Thus, it explores the possibility to achieve a just transition by employing workers from the high-carbon energy sector to the renewable energy sector. Qualitative research was carried out to explore the views and expectancies of the above-mentioned people as well as to trace the perceptions of the stakeholders of the green energy industry. A total of 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted in the previously mentioned three countries, which also investigated relevant training and upskilling programmes. The findings revealed various types of educational needs and techniques that can be applied by training providers in accordance to the power plant worker’s views as well as the disciplines and specialities of the workforce that are suitable to receive the further fit for attending such programmes. Workers in Greece and Cyprus appeared more optimistic for this possibility compared to Bulgarian workers. Green entrepreneurs were also optimistic but worried for the rate of investments in the green sector. The current findings describe the backdrop that challenges future retraining programmes with regard to achieving just transition policies for this workforce.

Purpose. The study objective is to assess the impact of a number of factors, such as buying and psychological behaviours, experience, knowledge and information about food quality and safety, trust in actors and institutions, risk perceptions, safety knowledge and willingness to pay, increased risks in last years and change in consumption, on the food safety of conventional agricultural products (vegetables) in the markets of the city of Tirana, Albania. Methodology / approach. The questionnaire used for achieving the study objective was initially discussed at the level of a focus group and after improvements was used in food markets of agri-products in the city of Tirana, Albania. Interviewing process (220 persons) was carried out according to the procedure of the random choice and an appropriate statistical model was used. Results. The study presents an assessment of the impact of some important factors to food safety and the specifics of recent years, illustrated by a research on the markets of conventional agri-products in Tirana, Albania. The results suggest special attention to the sustainability of food safety in the new era through coordinated actions of the key actors in the agri-food chain, governmental institutions, and especially researchers, considering the material and social concerns of the functioning of markets, building new consumption models and risk managements strategies. Originality / scientific novelty. In addition to a simplistic approach, the problem of food safety in Albania is related to the multi-plane development, regarding the functioning of institutions (eg formal, informal) and trust in them, actors in markets (eg producers, retailers, wholesalers, etc.) or socio-economic phenomena (eg migration, etc.), as factors that may affect differently to food safety. Sustainability of food safety is important for agricultural production, sustainable consumption and trade, which represent sectors with scope and importance for the country’s economy. Based on the multidisciplinary and multidimensional aspects of a wide group of factors (eg external, internal, etc.) acting in a predictable or unpredictable way and influencing food safety, the identification of possible links of some more specific ones in the case of Albania is of particular research interest and in its essence it represents a new approach applied in the country’s studies in that field. Practical value / implications. In the new era of science and innovations, of smart techniques and policies and consumers’ behaviours, characterized by the interaction of a multitude of factors, the research focus on the food safety is reasonable and makes a particular sense. The study may be useful in several aspects, and especially for (1) consumer protection agencies; (2) agricultural producer units; and (3) future research given the challenges of food safety in the new era.

Purpose. The purpose of this study is to identify the causes of economic policy failure in general and agricultural policy failures in Albania in particular. At the same time, the very concept of policy failure is a matter of our interest. To achieve our goal, we have conducted a basic literature review. The most important aspect of interest in the study is the investigation of two cases where agricultural policy in Albania has failed. Methodology / approach. To conduct the study we use several methods: a review of general literature in relation to government policy failure; review of specific literature regarding farm size and cooperation; review of national policy or strategic documents regarding agricultural and rural development in general and farm size and cooperation in particular; review of national statistical evidence about farm size and cooperation in Albania, and data from international sources such as The Global Economy. Results. The study is based on the widely recognized evidence that the concept of failure is multidimensional and not uniquely defined. The study contributes to identifying and summarizing some of the main causes of policy failures. Government policies generally fail when intervention leads to inefficient allocation of resources and an overall decline in people’s well-being when they do not increase production, productivity, or revenue, or when society does not achieve the policy objectives set. Policy failures are generally related to the weakness of institutions. Institutions are weak when they fail to perform effectively the three basic functions that are commitment, coordination, and cooperation. In the case of agricultural policies in Albania, the study analyzes the extremely low level of collective action and the small size of farms, which has remained almost the same and fragmented throughout the 30–year period of economic and social transition. Strong institutions responsible for drafting and implementing legislation and developing policies, characterized by the professionalism and high performance of their staff, are the only guarantee for achieving the policy objectives for sustainable agricultural development and accelerating the process of Albania’s integration into the European Union. Originality / scientific novelty. The literature points out that: (1) government effectiveness, (2) rule of law and (3) weak control of corruption are the root causes of all policy failures, including agricultural policy failures. We analyze the data on these indicators for Albania and some other countries in the Western Balkans region and try to draw conclusions about their impact on the two policy failures we are interested in, which are the serious lack of collective action in the agricultural sector and the small size of farms in Albania. No previous research has been focused on agricultural policy failures, at least in Albania. Practical value / implications. The study may be useful for the discussion and evaluation of the impact of policies, and performance of related institutions in Albania. It emphasizes not only the need of reforming these bodies but also suggestions for future research on policies and their effectiveness in Albania and beyond. Мета. Метою цього дослідження є виявлення причин невдачі економічної політики в Албанії загалом та аграрної політики зокрема. Водночас сама концепція провалу політики є предметом нашого інтересу. Для досягнення поставленої мети здійснено базовий огляд літератури. Найважливішим аспектом цього дослідження є розгляд двох кейсів, коли аграрна політика в Албанії зазнала невдачі. Методологія / методика / підхід. Для здійснення дослідження використано кілька методів: огляд загальної літератури щодо невдач державної політики; огляд спеціальної літератури щодо розмірів фермерських господарств і кооперації; огляд національної політики або стратегічних документів, що стосуються розвитку сільського господарства й сільських територій загалом і розміру ферм та кооперації зокрема; огляд національних статистичних даних про розміри фермерських господарств і кооперацію в Албанії, а також дані з міжнародних джерел, таких як The Global Economy. Результати. Дослідження засноване на загальновизнаних доказах того, що поняття невдачі є багатовимірним і не має однозначного визначення. Воно сприяє виявленню та узагальненню деяких основних причин невдач політики. Державна політика зазвичай зазнає невдачі, коли втручання призводить до неефективного розподілу ресурсів і загального зниження добробуту людей, коли не зростає виробництво, продуктивність чи доходи, або коли суспільство не досягає поставлених політичних цілей. Невдачі політики зазвичай пов’язані зі слабкістю інститутів. Інститути...

Purpose. The purpose of the research is to determine the degree of implementation of specific regional policies in rural areas in the context of Bulgaria’s integration into the European Union through the prospects of the changing economic situation and new trends in the implementation of regional policy. Methodology / approach. The focus of the research is the need for a working regional policy that gives importance to the development of rural areas and influences the demographic and socio-economic processes in Bulgaria. The study is defined by comparative analysis, reference to expert assessment, use of statistical data, and analysis of strategic documents and programs related to regional development. Results. This research has shown that the applied regional development policies within the European Union have partial success. At the same time, the problems and emerging deficits are successfully defined, but it is more difficult to find optimal solutions that can be applied in more than one municipality. In this direction, regional policy has its achievements in its development, but new solutions are still being sought for several spatial and territorial problems in connection with integration into a common European market. This means a comprehensive process of functional impacts in the socio-economic development of nearly 281 regions. In Bulgaria, the situation is even more complicated, because it is necessary to have a dual approach in regional politics. On the one hand, the development of the most urbanised regions, and on the other hand, the development of the rural areas, which are decisive for the development of the greater part of the territory of Bulgaria. Originality / scientific novelty. The regional development policy carried out in the years after 2007 has a static and spontaneous character, the new approach of the measures and programs after 2023 are based on new concepts and elements in line with information technologies, development of intelligent systems, economic connectivity to overcome the backward development of rural areas. New approaches and moments are proposed in the construction of a regional policy, which has a new framework and provisions for the development of the European economic space. In this direction, the need for expert decisions related to the management of regional development comes to the fore. Practical value / implications. It is necessary to make regional development a national priority. In addition, governments should facilitate access to young people and medium-sized businesses for the use of inputs and the promotion of projects. Access to financing, strategic, and planning activities, which have their characteristics at different levels, must be further developed.

Purpose. The purpose of the article is to provide an assessment of the governance of the agricultural system in Albania, by analyzing the challenges for the future operation of Agricultural knowledge and innovation system (AKIS) under the influence of two main factors, such as (і) the country’s innovation performance and (іі) universities and research institutions (URIs), for the rapid and effective adaptions of innovation and new knowledge. Results. In the Balkan region, there is a rapid dynamic (according to the income group) of countries related to innovation (Bulgaria is the 2nd after China), and some of them (Slovenia, Croatia) have overtaken old members of the EU; we prove the importance of Albania’s innovation performance and URIs for competitiveness and future operation of AKIS. Innovation and the frequent variability of technologies and effects on producers, consumers and markets can accelerate growth and competitiveness but can create also undesirable effects. The economic decisions, governance of the agri-system and resources under the influence of the rapid developments require an adequate research-decision-making focus. Science-based-guided institutions are essential for improving the country’s innovation performance and the role of URIs for the efficient adaptions of innovation, new knowledge and techniques in agri-sector as two main pillars for the future of AKIS in Albania. Scientific novelty. Most studies analyze the functioning of segments of the agricultural system (e.g. crop, livestock, etc.) or the value chain (e.g. producers, consumers) and identify the low presence of social capital in Albania, using the individual as the unit of analysis (e.g. farmer level) and the company (e.g. factors, sources). It is paid little attention to the renewal of social capital, especially in the context of current migration in Albania. Therefore, we provide an aggregate analysis of agricultural governance, by suggesting the efficiency of (formal) institutions for renewing (missing) social capital, improvement of innovation performance and the role of URIs to policy solutions and future AKIS. Practical value. Through a functional AKIS, the problem of innovation, policy formulation in the agri-sector and centralization approach or centralized policies can be overcome, by creating premises for an efficient-scientific-entity and a smart-regional-approach, including new networks of researchers and the environment for business sophistication and innovation ecosystems.

This study aims to identify the main challenges facing the modelling of indicators for monitoring and evaluation of regional rural development in Bulgaria. The main prerequisites and assumptions for objective definition of reliable indicators for studying the processes of regional rural development are formulated. An overview is made of the existing normative documents that regulate the creation and use of indicators for the diagnosis of regional rural development and that are used by the European Commission for measuring certain processes in the regional development of rural agriculture. The paper concludes by proposing an approach for developing a grounded system of indicators for the analysis and evaluation of regional rural development that respects the principles of democratic and equitable participation of stakeholders in this process.