TIRANA, Oct. 26 /ATA/ – The National Institute of Cultural Heritage (IKTK) has reported a 93% increase in revenue and the identification of 21 new archaeological sites across Albania in the first nine months of 2026, compared with previous years.
The institute released data comparing the January-September periods of 2024, 2025 and 2026, highlighting growth in revenue, investment, conservation and research projects, archaeological monitoring and regulatory measures.
Investment in cultural heritage assets rose by 400%, while the number of conservation, restoration and archaeological research projects increased by 282% compared with the same period in 2024 and by 133% compared with 2025, according to the data.
The projects include conservation and restoration work at monuments and archaeological sites, as well as archaeological surveys, excavations and monitoring activities.
The institute identified 21 new archaeological sites in the first nine months of 2026, across several parts of the country, including Shkodra, Lezha, Lushnja, Fier, Korça, Erseka, Pogradec, Divjaka and Saranda.
Archaeological monitoring also increased significantly, rising by 279% compared with the same period in 2025.
The institute said efforts to strengthen the regulatory framework had also advanced, with eight secondary legal acts approved in 2026.
Agreements governing archaeological monitoring increased by 32% compared with 2025 and by 164% compared with 2024, the data showed.
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