OVERVIEW OF THE LAW AND OPPORTUNITIES FOR NUCLEAR ENERGY- COMPARISON WITH BALKAN COUNTRIES AND ALBANIA

Sustainable development is today the focus of every state policy. Today, states aim to develop economically while preserving the environment and nature. In the last decade alone, they have significantly increased the focus, production, and consumption of electricity through nuclear power generation. Focusing on the production of energy at the lowest possible environmental and ecological cost, today, the diversification of energy supply sources is increasingly being aimed at, towards a mixed energy where the focus is on renewable energies, wind energy, solar energy, and, of course, nuclear energy. Albania, in the field of electricity production from renewable energy, is lagging behind the countries of the region and Europe. The Albanian state has a need to dimension this process of energy development, where the primary is the appropriate legislation that legally regulates this entire new process of energy production, as well as the drafting and implementation of long-term strategies. The aim of this article is to present the current legislation in force in the Republic of Albania and compare it with that of other Balkan countries. Data from the Institute of Statistics, the International Energy Agency, and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis show that the Albanian state meets its energy supply and production needs within the territory of the Republic of Albania, drawing on its hydro resources and imports. Nuclear energy in Albania is still a possible strategic option for the distant future, not at all a current or near-future reality. The Albanian state has harmonized its legislation with EU legislation and has built institutional capacities in radiological safety. International cooperation in energy does not focus on this type of energy, nor does it build any nuclear power plants.