A strategic document called “BESA,” submitted by Prime Minister Edi Rama at a meeting of the cabinet and the Socialist parliamentary group, provides for the creation of several new structures and instruments in governance. In the version made public, the expansion of coordination mechanisms at the Prime Minister’s Office stands out, along with the promise of greater transparency through a new digital platform.
What the “BESA” document provides for
According to the document, the aim is to change the way the government and public administration function through new coordinating and monitoring mechanisms.
The package includes the establishment of new structures, the use of instruments to measure public trust, and the testing of reforms before they are rolled out nationwide. At its core, it is about another layer of organization in the name of efficiency and results.
The BESA Unit at the Prime Minister’s Office
One of the main elements is the BESA Unit, which, according to the official version, will operate alongside the existing strategic planning structure at the Prime Minister’s Office.
The document says this unit will have a coordinating role in implementing the BESA method, linking standards, data and reporting among institutions, without taking over the powers of ministries or other institutions. However, placing such a link near the center of the executive raises questions about increased vertical control over the administration.
“Flamingo Mirror,” the platform that promises transparency
The document also provides for the creation of the public platform “Flamingo Mirror,” described as a bilingual digital interface for publishing documents, consultations, evidence, deadlines, commitments and the results of decisions of high public interest.
According to the government, this platform aims to increase transparency and counter disinformation through the publication of data and relevant documentation. In practice, it remains to be seen whether there will be real access to information of public interest or simply a new packaging of institutional communication.
The trust barometer and the reform laboratory
Another proposed mechanism is the National Trust Barometer, which the document describes as an independent instrument for measuring citizens’ trust in institutions.
According to the document, its results will be used as an indicator of institutional performance, while the methodology and aggregated data will be made public.
It also proposes the establishment of the Public Policy Laboratory, which will be used to test reforms on a limited scale before implementation at the national level. The document clarifies that this is not a new institution, but a mechanism for piloting and evaluating policies before final decision-making.
The “BESA” document is presented as an effort to reformat the functioning of government through coordination, performance measurement and new digital tools.
What remains unclear is how many of these mechanisms will actually produce greater accountability and how many will serve as an expansion of the bureaucratic architecture under the control of the center of power.