TIRANA, Aug. 4 /ATA/ – The government has approved an additional 40 million lek to strengthen financial support for elite athletes representing Albania in international competition, Tourism, Culture and Sports Minister Blendi Gonxhja said on Tuesday.
The additional funding, approved under a recent normative act, is aimed at expanding the country’s system of financial rewards for high-performing athletes, Gonxhja said.
The new support package includes increased funding for non-Olympic sports and Albanian coaches, higher daily meal allowances for athletes, and larger performance bonuses for medal-winning results at the Olympic Games, World, European, Mediterranean and Balkan championships.
The revised scheme also introduces more favourable funding arrangements for sports comprising multiple disciplines, the minister said.
The measures form part of the government’s broader strategy to strengthen the country’s sports sector. According to Gonxhja, state funding for sport will increase by 32% in 2026, marking the highest level of public investment in the sector to date.
“Sport is not only about success in competition; it is an investment in young people, a means of promoting Albania, a driver of economic development and a source of national pride,” Gonxhja said.
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