Comment on DOS-2026-0628-0001

July 3, 2026 Dear Members of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee: I am writing to encourage you to renew the bilateral agreement designed to prohibit the illegal importation of cultural resources from Albania and the United States. I believe this agreement, first signed in 2022, has had a measurable impact on the prevention of looting in Albania, while at the same time encouraging expansion of various kinds of positive exchanges between Albania and the United States. I first travelled to Albania in 1995, shortly after the country opened to the outside world, after years of isolation. From 1998-2015, I directed three major archaeological field projects there, at Apollonia, in Shala, and in Shkodër, all with NEH and NSF funding. I have been privileged to watch Albania transform from a Third World country into a thriving, developing nation, poised to join the European Union. In three decades, Albania has gone from a dangerous, lawless place to one of the top tourist destinations in the world. Its fascinating history and tremendous archaeological sites are now well-known to outsiders; at the same time, development has put new pressure on those resources, and enforcement of cultural-resource laws is even more important now than ever. Thus, whereas looting has in my estimation decreased in the last five years, archaeological sites are increasingly threatened by development, both infrastructural and for tourism. Albania has made great progress towards ending looting and curbing illicit trafficking in stolen artifacts. Signs are posted at the airport, for example, warning tourists not to transport illegally acquired items, like coins. At the same time, major sites are more fully secure, with fencing and with guards. Public education campaigns have slowed illegal metal detecting. Progress protecting archaeological sites from looting has accompanied progress in Albania in building law enforcement and justice systems, generally. The greater threat currently, in my estimation, comes from development, whether of infrastructure, like roads, or tourist destinations, like coastal hotels. Albanian law requires cultural impact surveys in advance of such development, but they are not always enforced. As a result, countless archaeological sites are likely being destroyed. That said, Albania possesses all of the needed tools to enforce fully its heritage laws, undertake impact surveys, mitigate destruction of sites, and still advance economically. The laws on the books are strong, modeled on British and American codes. The University of Tirana, Albania’s flagship university, has an excellent master’s program in archaeology and heritage. And numerous private cultural resource management firms operate in Albania, just as they do in the US. These various assets will be further enhanced should the bilateral agreement be renewed. Over the past three decades, many Albanian students have undertaken advanced study in archaeology in the United States. I, for example, have two Albanian PhD students in archaeology at Michigan. Through the agreement, even more Albanian students can be encouraged to study in the US and then return to own and run those very companies that conduct CRM surveys, thereby employing hundreds of additional individuals. This scenario presents a win-win for all involved. Similarly, existing cultural heritage professionals, such as guards, museum docents, tour guides, etc., can be offered advanced training, whether in country or in the US. Better training will translate into better protected sites and better visit experiences for tourists. Programs like Fulbright can be further engaged to help enhance Albania’s heritage management system. To close, I was honored to address the CPAC in 2022 when the first Albania-US bilateral agreement was considered. It would be an honor and a privilege to address the Committee again in 2026. I have spent my career working in Albania. The Albanian people care deeply about their history and archaeology. I have no doubt that they view this agreement positively. I urge you to renew it, post haste. It benefits both Albanians and Americans. Sincerely, Michael L. Galaty, Ph.D. RPA Curator of European Archaeology Professor of Anthropology Professor of Classical Studies