S&P rates upcoming elections, IMF departure as risks to Albanian economy

TIRANA, Feb. 7 – Standard and Poor’s has once again affirmed Albania’s stable outlook, but slightly revised downward the country’s GDP growth forecast for the next four years due to risks stemming from the upcoming June general elections and the conclusion of a three-year deal with the IMF. In its latest country report, S&P, one of world’s big three credit rating agencies, expects the Albanian economy to only slightly recover between 3.5 percent in 2017 to 3.9 percent in 2020. The forecasts are 0.3 percent to 0.4 percent lower compared to the Albanian government’s more optimistic expectations of growth ranging…