Vulnerable groups continue to be the most discriminated against in Europe, according to data from Eurostat. The situation is similar in Albania.
In 2024, people born outside their country reported higher levels of discrimination compared to natives. About 9.7% said they felt discriminated against when interacting with public administration, compared to 4.5% of natives. In public spaces, the gap is even wider, with 7.8% versus 2.8%.
The difference with Albania is that in EU countries, discrimination is mostly related to access to public services, housing, and public spaces, particularly affecting people with disabilities and migrants.
In Albania, certain communities such as Roma and Egyptians face discrimination, long-term unemployment, and limited access to basic services such as education and healthcare. According to the Commissioner for Protection from Discrimination, dozens of complaints were handled in 2025, of which only 15 cases were proven as discrimination, while the rest were dismissed due to lack of evidence. Most cases were related to economic status (41 cases), age (23 cases), and gender (18 cases). The most common issues involve dismissals from work, unequal treatment in the workplace, and violations of workers’ rights.
In the EU, poverty is also part of discrimination and social exclusion, with around 20.9% of the population at risk of poverty. In comparison, while discrimination in the EU is measured with clear percentages and regularly monitored, Albania faces a lack of data. This is because in most cases discrimination is not reported, and the only way to identify it is through economic conditions, social exclusion, and lack of access to services.
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