According to the head of government, these measures aim to ease the burden on lower-income groups, strengthen the formalization of the economy and combat tax evasion.

The prime minister stated that the, “price monitoring” mechanism will be expanded and reinforced to ensure that significant price reductions for essential consumer goods (the “basic basket”) are protected from exploitation by large-scale operators.

Secondly, Rama noted, “To support those hardest hit by the cost of living, we are raising the standard VAT rate by 1% on non-essential items. This shared contribution will directly fund subsidies to keep the basic food basket affordable for families in need.”

Rama announced a rise in the dividend tax from 8% to 15%, keeping corporate profit tax unchanged. Rejecting claims made by critical media outlets, he stated that large businesses already pay the Western Balkans’ highest taxes and that the new dividend rate ensures wealthier owners contribute a fairer share to assist lower-income groups.

Another new development, according to him, concerns the taxation of wages. The prime minister stated that the threshold for the application of personal income tax on wages will be raised from 200,000 to 300,000 new lekë—a change expected to affect approximately 32,000 taxpayers.

“We are reducing the tax burden. It brings a smile to one’s face, because these 32,000 taxpayers—a vital part of the middle class—have long been calling for this change: raising the wage-tax threshold from 200,000 to 300,000 new lekë. Until recently, the state of the economy did not allow for this; today, however, economic growth has made it possible,” he said.

Fifth, the head of government emphasized that, “We are establishing a new tax threshold on salaries at 700,000 new lekë, with a tax rate of 30%—primarily as a tool to close a loophole used for dividend-related tax evasion.” /m.q/p.s./

In a television interview, Xhaferri said that all Albanians, without distinction, should see official Tirana as a salvation and should not be involved in splitting schemes.

“I think that the Constitution of the Republic of Albania also sanctions the duty of taking care of the Albanian nationals wherever they are. And when the elder brother is determined to lead, the other brothers should at least listen to him”, he said.

Regarding the duty of the prime minister of North Macedonia, Xhaferri emphasized that this duty is a great responsibility, while adding that he has accepted to exercise such a role with full dedication.

“Being in that office means additional responsibility, due to the fact that you were lucky enough to be the first among the Albanian community to be entrusted with that task. It is a feeling of responsibility above all”, he said. /m.m/r.e/p.s./

Invited to a television studio, Rama said that, “In Albania, there are no oligarchs, there are none, zero”.

“There are rich people in Albania, but they are not oligarchs. They have 0 imposing capacity on me and my government. All those people are people who started it out of nothing and grew up and at some point their growth was identified with a certain power. They are the largest employers in Albania. They are the most powerful employment engines. They are the backbone of the Albanian economy. Behind those people are tens of thousands of families,” Rama said.

Rama said that the time when tenders were channeled into some hands has gone together with Berisha’s government.

According to him, “400 companies are engaged in the reconstruction process alone”.

Meanwhile, Rama said that, “If you take the amount of tenders that have been made during my government and the actors with access to state budget funds is a number that is much higher than the number of actors that were previously involved. Now there are many actors in the market.”

Rama also said that, “Access to public competitions has expanded massively. If you look at their contributions to the state coffers, they have a tax today 50% more than during Berisha’s time”, said Rama./r.e/p.s./

In the weekly press conference “Economy in Focus”, on the topic – “Reconstruction”, PM Rama said that, “We will not do any kind of campaign with the tax, we will just continue to repeat what we said from the beginning: who wins more, will pay more; whoever earns less, will pay less. Since we are accused as the government and the political force that protects the oligarchs, we will in no way leave the $ 530 million in the pockets of the big companies or the oligarchs, as they call them.

“We will not leave the $ 530 million that is there to be invested in infrastructure, in schools, in hospitals, salary increases, pensions to go back to what it was before we came to government and re-established this principle”.

“Small business pays zero tax in Albania and zero VAT up to 100 thousand dollars turnover, unimaginable until a few years ago. It became possible because we have consolidated the financial base of this country. The rest up to 140 thousand dollars turnover pays zero profit tax and VAT, of course “, – said Rama./k.s/p.s./