Albania’s parliament kicks off a two-day debate today on the draft 2025 budget, aiming for steady economic growth, fiscal discipline, and key investments in infrastructure and public services.
The draft budget projects revenues of 754.6 billion lek, or 28.8% of GDP, a 5.7% increase from the revised 2024 budget. Spending is expected to reach 822.7 billion lek, up 51.4 billion lek from last year’s plan.
Key priorities include funding for healthcare, education, agriculture, and digital infrastructure. The government also plans to accelerate its alignment with the EU’s Western Balkans Growth Plan, an initiative to boost economic integration with Europe.
Public investments are slated at 162 billion lek, or 6.2% of GDP, with a focus on tourism, agriculture, and infrastructure. Albania aims to reduce its public debt to 55.8% of GDP by 2025, from an estimated 56.3% this year.
While the government focuses on growth, opposition leaders are critical. The Democratic Party argues the budget neglects essential areas like healthcare, education, and pensions, and has no provisions for salary increases.
