As part of the communication tour “The Work of Albania,” Prime Minister Edi Rama held a discussion with pensioners of Administrative Unit No. 2 in the capital regarding current economic developments and social policies. It was underlined that this category will have priority in the government’s support schemes and will benefit from economic growth, reflected in the increase of pensions and beyond.

The Prime Minister also stressed that, alongside the increase in pensions, the government is working to deepen reforms in this sector by creating new savings opportunities for citizens, with the state contributing to higher pensions in the future. The focus will also include reviewing the legal framework for self-employed pensioners, those who continue to work, and improving financial support for persons with disabilities.

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Prime Minister Edi Rama: Thank you! On the issue of pensions, I believe we are now in a different phase. We have long struggled to raise pensions. While salaries began to increase and investments were put back on track after a very difficult period during which we had to repay many debts, we still faced limitations in pensions. We were constantly confronted with the very real concern of pensioners, who are among those facing the greatest difficulties; the only thing we could do was index pensions. But pension indexation is not a real increase in the true sense of the word. I have said many times, and I have repeated whenever asked, that the reality prevented us from moving forward on pensions, because the economy was not strong enough to support a genuine growth plan.

Finally, as we had hoped and as we concentrated all our efforts to achieve, the moment came when the economy made this possible. For this reason, starting from January this year, you are receiving higher pensions. From now on, every January, pensions will increase for all the months of the year. Next January, the increase will be double that of this January. In January 2028, the increase will be triple. In 2029, it will be quadruple. And in 2030, it will be five times higher, enabling us to reach the level needed to achieve the objectives we have set for you.

At the same time, based on a plan financially supported and secured within the state budget, which remains stable, we are also discussing further changes to the pension system to deepen the reform. This includes creating additional opportunities for those who wish to save more to secure higher pensions in the future, with the state contributing to these savings.

We will also review the current system for self-employed pensioners and for those who continue to work, because there is room for adjustments that will again work in favour of pensioners. We are also discussing support for people with disabilities, who rightly expect equal treatment. At the moment, there are differences, but the truth is that someone who has lost their ability to work because of their job should not be treated worse than someone who has never worked due to disability. This will be corrected.

But the essence of everything I am saying is the economy. It is the significant transformation of our economy that allows all this. All of these measures are just, but the good news today is that we now have the means to implement them.

The good news is that we have moved to a new level, both in terms of overall economic output. We inherited a country with a GDP below 10 billion euros; today it stands at nearly 27 billion. We inherited a country where per-capita income was under 3,000 euros per year; today it is over 11,000 euros. Between 2024 and 2025 alone, per-capita income increased by over 1,000 euros per year. This means we are now in a position where sustained economic growth allows us to address many issues that previously could not be tackled.

We inherited a country with just over 2 million tourists. Today, we have around 12 million visitors holding foreign passports. This includes Albanians who hold foreign passports and return to Albania for holidays, as is counted internationally. Back then, foreign investment averaged 300–400 million euros per year. Today, it exceeds 1.5 billion euros, with further room for growth and plans to do more.

You understand very well, perhaps better than others, why the majority of you support this government, because you understand politics better than most. And because you follow political developments closely, I want to say something else: our journey has been difficult, also due to external factors beyond our control, such as the pandemic, the earthquake, the war in Ukraine, and now the conflict in the Middle East, which directly affects fuel prices. When oil prices spike unexpectedly, we hope that the recent 15-day ceasefire will lead to a lasting resolution before these price increases affect food prices.

If food prices do rise, we will have to address that challenge, and naturally, pensioners will be the first priority. After pensioners, we will support families in need who receive social assistance. For them, we are preparing a new support scheme based on a household spending card linked to a basic goods basket, ensuring that assistance funds go directly toward family needs and children, not diverted elsewhere.

Furthermore, payments made using this card will ensure that VAT from purchases returns to the state budget, rather than being hidden by retailers, and will then be redirected back to support citizens.

Meanwhile, we will continue to increase wages. Today, wages in Albania are rising consistently, even in the private sector. The challenge for employers is no longer how much to pay, but finding qualified workers. Albania is now more attractive to foreign investors, and higher wages also benefit the state through social security contributions that return to pensioners.

I also want to add something you are particularly interested in. There has been talk in the media about the EU process being blocked or stalled. What matters is that negotiations are proceeding according to plan. We have opened all negotiation chapters and are now discussing intermediate benchmarks with the European Commission. These benchmarks form part of the negotiation framework.

March and April were scheduled as the period to discuss these intermediate benchmarks with EU member states. Albania now has an unprecedented opportunity. Never before has the country had such broad international support. We have done our part to reach this stage, but there is also a clear interest from others to see us succeed.

Making the most of this moment is a historic responsibility for every Albanian, and it is also the mission of our political movement.

Thank you for your patience and for listening. If you have questions, concerns, or comments, please feel free to share them. If we have the answer, we will provide it. If not, we will seek the information and respond.