TIRANA, April 15 – The government revealed the extended financial assistance plan to cope with the coronavirus emergency, which amounts to over 220 million dollars, out of which 150 million dollars will be paid out in sovereign guarantees and 70 million dollars will be handed out as one-time payments.
Prime Minister Edi Rama announced on Tuesday that 176 thousand people will benefit from the extended plan which includes 100 thousand small business employees who were not part of the first package, 66 thousand big business employees who left or were dismissed from work and 10 thousand employees in the tourism sector. These three categories will each benefit a one-time payment of 40 thousand lek from April 20.
Moreover, all enterprises excluding the banking system, telecommunications and wholesale distribution businesses, will be able to pay profit tax installments after September 30. PM Edi Rama added that the payment of profit tax installments for the tourism industry and manufacturing businesses will be postponed until after December 31 of this year.
The cost of the economic relief package, comprised of 150 million dollars in the form sovereign guarantee and $ 70,400,000 to be paid out to affected employees, totals 220,400,000 dollars. In March, the government introduced the first 7-point financial assistance plan which totaled 300 million euros; both financial packages combined will cost the government budget 500 million euros so far.
