TIRANA, July – Albania’s economy grew by 3.7% in the first quarter of 2026, exceeding the average growth rate of Western Balkan countries and the European Union.
Finance Minister Petrit Malaj presented the latest economic indicators and said the Finance Ministry expects growth to reach 4% by the end of the year. He said services and both public and private investments will mainly support this expansion.
Meanwhile, Malaj said gross domestic product is expected to reach €29 billion by the end of 2026. He added that the government expects it to reach €35 billion by the end of its mandate.
The minister also highlighted the rise in income per capita. He said Albania expects this figure to reach €12,200 in 2026, compared with €11,355 at the end of 2025. The government aims to increase income per capita to €15,000 by the end of 2029.
In addition, Malaj said Albania recorded the lowest inflation rate in the Western Balkans during the first half of the year, with an average rate of 2.7%.
He also reported that average salaries reached €1,094 in the public sector and €871 in the private sector. According to Malaj, employment formalization measures increased declared wages. The number of employees earning between 70,000 and 100,000 lek increased by 14.6% compared with June 2025.
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