After having stated that “[t]he people exercises sovereignty through their representatives or directly” (Article 2, para. 2), the 1998 Albanian Constitution (as of 2016) mentions such instruments as follows:

- Citizens’ legislative initiative: “The Council of Ministers, every deputy, and 20,000 electors each have the right to propose laws” (Article 81, para.1);

- Petition: “Everyone, by himself or together with others, may direct requests, complaints or comments to the public bodies, which are obliged to reply within the time limits and conditions set by the law” (Article 48);

- Referendum: “1. The people, through 50 thousand citizens, who enjoy the right to vote, have the right to a referendum for the abrogation of a law, as well as to request the President of the Republic to hold a referendum about issues of special importance.

- 2.The parliament, upon the proposal of not less than one-fifth of the deputies or the Council of Ministers, can decide that an issue or a draft law of special importance be presented for referendum.

- 3.Principles and procedures for holding a referendum, as well as its validity, are provided by the law” (Article 150).