Albanians struggle with trust but rely on family ties

Dec 31, 2024 -  A new survey shows that 89% of Albanians do not trust others, but family remains a source of confidence.

A recent survey from the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC) reveals that Albanians have the highest levels of distrust in the Western Balkans. Almost 9 in 10 Albanians say they do not trust other people, showing a growing problem with trust in the country.

In comparison, Albanians are far more distrustful than their neighbors. In Serbia, 27% of people say they trust others, which is nearly three times higher than in Albania.

Family trust remains strong

While distrust is high in Albania, the survey found that people still place a lot of trust in their families. An impressive 95% of Albanians said they trust their family, much higher than the regional average of 77%.

However, trust in local communities is much lower. Only 7% of Albanians trust their neighbors, compared to the regional average of 17%.

Low confidence in public institutions

When it comes to public institutions, Albanians are even more skeptical. 65% of Albanians say they do not trust public administration, the highest in the region. Just 1% said they trust the government, far lower than the regional average of 4%.

Trust in institutions is generally low across the Western Balkans. Political parties, social media, and traditional media like TV and newspapers are among the least trusted in the region.

Some institutions still trusted

Despite the overall distrust, some institutions are still trusted by many. Religious organizations were trusted by 60% of people, followed by the military (55%), police (54%), and universities (53%). International organizations like the EU (55%) and NATO (54%) also received relatively high trust levels.

Corruption remains a major concern

Corruption continues to be a major issue in the region. While fewer people think corruption is “very widespread” compared to last year, 83% of people still see it as a serious problem. Bribery is still reported in areas like healthcare and policing, and high-level corruption remains a major concern.