Albania’s parliament has begun discussions on the proposed 2025 budget, with opposition protests creating an early stir in the session.
The Albanian Parliament opened today to debate the 2025 budget, which totals €8.2 billion. The session quickly became tense, as opposition members from the Democratic Party (PD) interrupted Prime Minister Edi Rama’s speech by standing up in protest.
The disruptions continued briefly, but the session moved forward with presentations from ministers and MPs. Opposition members also attempted to interrupt Finance Minister Petrit Malaj’s speech by staying near the podium.
In his address, Prime Minister Rama called the proposed budget a reflection of the country’s progress over the past decade. “When I first presented our budget, the total for public services was €3.2 billion. Now, in the 2025 budget, it’s €8.2 billion, nearly three times as much,” Rama said.
Rama went on to say that Albania’s future is no longer a distant dream. “We are climbing towards 2030, where Albania will stand side by side with Europe,” he added.
However, opposition leaders argue that the budget does not prioritize the needs of ordinary citizens and is disconnected from their reality.
The proposed budget focuses on investments in public services and aims to accelerate Albania’s path to joining the European Union. It will be voted on by parliament after further discussions.
