Outstanding liabilities increased during the first quarter of 2026 after having declined significantly at the end of last year. According to the data, debts reached approximately 6.93 billion lek, which is 1.1 billion lek more compared to the end of 2025.
According to the Ministry of Finance, the stock of overdue liabilities of municipalities in March 2026 stood at around 3.15 billion lek, showing a slight increase compared to the end of 2025.
Although in July 2025 the Ministry of Finance officially requested local government units to draft and implement a mandatory schedule for the gradual repayment of overdue liabilities, municipalities failed to settle these obligations both by the end of last year and during the first quarter of 2026.
According to the Ministry’s request, municipalities were required to adopt stricter financial discipline measures, avoid creating new debts, and use part of their revenues to pay off existing liabilities.
However, the latest data from the Ministry show that in several municipalities the process has not produced the expected results. Some of them not only failed to reduce their liabilities, but also recorded increases in their debt stock by March 2026.
Analysis of the data shows that the five municipalities with the highest levels of overdue liabilities in March 2026 are Kavajë, Pogradec, Vorë, Tirana, and Dimali.
The post Bills Are Not Being Paid on Time, Government and Municipal Debts Increase by 1.1 Billion Lek appeared first on Euronews Albania.
