Albania to host SEE ministerial conference

TIRANA, Oct. 29 – Albania will host in Nov. 9 the Ministerial Conference of the South East Europe Investment Committee which is to adopt the Ministerial Declaration on South East Europe (SEE) 2020 Headline Targets, addressing the challenges of regional economic developments in each of the priority areas identified by the SEE 2020 Strategy: integrated, smart, inclusive, and sustainable growth within a good governance framework, consistent with strategic needs of the region.
By doing so, the South East European ministers shall endorse results the South East Europe Investment Committee (SEEIC) has achieved over the past year under the regional ownership.
The event, which will gather South East European ministers of economy, is being co-organized by the Regional Cooperation Council (RCC)’s South East Europe Investment Committee and the Government of Albania.
Albania’s economy has not suffered so much or so directs an attack from the global financial crisis. But it still has some negative impact that is likely to continue longer here.
The government says it will have a 4.1 percent growth this year, according to Finance Minister Ridvan Bode. On Wednesday central bank of Albania governor Ardian Fullani said the growth in the first quarter this year was 2.1 percent.
The IMF has said it will be 0.5 percent followed by the EBRD putting it at 0.6 percent (after it changed from a previous bigger figure).
The IMF and the international community have warned the Albanian government to keep the budget deficit on track, or below the 60 percent margin.
According to a private newspaper, Shqip, that border is to increase by almost four percent by the end of the year.
That has been an issue which the opposition has insisted and has warned the authorities.
Economy will be a very important issue in next year’s parliamentary elections.
On one side the government claims successes with the increase of the salaries, the building or rehabilitation of the new roads, power stations and attracting foreign direct investment.
The opposition turns them down saying that the real wage in fact has decreased and they criticize the government for either delaying or not building that many road kilometers as pledged.
During the recent days Berisha also made a call to the banks in the country to offer better services to the citizens, adding that a healthy banking system is a guarantee to overcome the crisis.
The banks have significantly lowered their offer of credits to the citizens and companies in the country fearing the return of their money.
What Albanians should fear is more the expenses ahead of the parliamentary elections next year, which are always significantly increased as the authorities in power try to convince voters on their success.