TIRANA, Aug. 18 – Minister of Integration and government spokeswoman Majlinda Bregu said the country saw a significant increase in exported goods after local companies received strong support from the government with its new laws and policies.
Bregu said that Made in Albania products had seen a 35 percent increase in exports, and a 25 percent increase in exports. These good are being processed in Albania and further on in other western countries.
Albania had seen an increase of exporting such products like minerals, cement, iron, steel and hydrocarbons. Cement alone saw an eleven fold increase compared to a year ago.
Additionally, construction of two new cement production plants have been approved by the government in the last three months.
Chromium and other minerals had a three fold increase in exports and iron exports increased by two fold. The country also noted an increase of oil exports and its by-products.
Their production was also positively affected by the government’s reduction of the insurance level and electricity price for businesses.
The minister said that the trend of increasing re-exported goods was also another positive sign of the consolidation of the country’s economy along with efforts to become integrated into the European Union.
Such a process normally uses raw material from EU member countries, which are processed here, though not completely, and then re-sent again to those countries.
Last year, Albania signed the Stabilization and Association Agreement with the EU. Ten countries have already ratified the deal but 15 others are needed to do the same before the country may move on to another stage.
No date has been set for possible membership in the group and Albania, one of Europe’s poorest countries, needs radical reforms to become competitive in the EU market.
The country has also started a new partnership with the EU since December last year with a temporary agreement that facilitates exporting of goods into EU member countries.
The minister released some very positive figures including an increase of exports of 211 billion leks compared to the same period a year ago, a 28 percent increase this year, insisting that there was a higher increase of exports compared to imports.
But figures given from other institutions show the contrary. Albania has significantly increased its imports, though the minister declined to give exact figures.
The minister acknowledged, however, that the ongoing energy crisis has negatively affected the country’s businesses, despite government’s efforts to soften it.
