Economy grows faster than EU and region, minister says

The Albanian economy grew by 3.71% in the first quarter of 2026, outpacing both the Western Balkans average and the European Union, according to the government.

Economy and Innovation Minister Delina Ibrahimaj said the figures showed stable growth, supported by public services, construction, real estate and professional activities.

Construction grew by 3.33%, financial and insurance activities by 5%, and real estate by 8.9%. Industry fell by 2.17%, mainly because of weaker mining and textile output.

Household consumption, which makes up about 73% of the economy, rose by 3.94%, helped by higher wages, pensions and remittances.

Unemployment fell to 8.4%, while the average wage rose to about 90,000 lek, according to Ibrahimaj.