Malaj said the increase was aimed at strengthening the country’s capacity to respond to wildfires, floods, natural disasters and other emergencies.

Albania now has a larger budget and dedicated resources for emergency response, while municipalities have also received increased funding to intervene and manage emergencies in their areas, he said.

“Very strong fiscal results this year have also created the necessary budgetary space to respond to any unforeseen needs without affecting funding for other priorities,” Malaj said.

Finance Minister said stronger funding and expanded response capacity were intended to ensure the state was prepared to deal with emergencies, particularly during periods of heightened wildfire and natural disaster risks.

“Albania is financially better prepared than ever to deal with emergencies,” Malaj said.

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The four-day full scale exercise “Flood NorthALB” saw participation of the national civil protection authorities and search and rescue teams from 13 partners, Western Balkans and European countries, testing readiness and response capabilities of civil protection agencies and international coordination in the event of natural emergencies.

The Delegation of the European Union to Albania said in a post on the social media that Flood North ALB exercise in Shkodra has shown how European cooperation makes a real difference when disaster strikes.

“The EU funded project, brought together local and international partners to enhance civil protection capabilities and ensure better coordination in response to complex emergencies, such as severe flooding,” the EU Delegation said.

Accoding to the EU Delegation, “with EU support, Albania is building stronger civil protection systems and taking an active role in regional preparedness, because readiness is key to saving lives and minimizing damage.”

“As a recent member of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism since 2022, Albania has demonstrated remarkable dedication. The full-scale FloodNorthALB exercise shows the critical need to bolster European preparedness for all types of disasters, whether natural or man-made. A rapid and effective response, particularly in densely populated areas like the Shkodër region, are essential to saving lives and minimizing environmental damage,” said Andre Rizzio, Head of Political Section at EU Delegation to Albania.

The four-day exercise tested a range of various scenarios with the participants simulating real world events to assist the affected population in flooded areas.

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“Currently, a  helicopter was used to fight forest fire while intensive work is being carried out to establish appropriate cordon controls to prevent fire,” Çako said in a statement to the media.

Çako emphasized that, “there are a number of factors that affect the lighting of these fires, some of them are caused by shepherds, who demand the reopening of their pastures, just as there are a significant number of residents who burn the bushes and situation gets out of control, including the criminal initiatives which are being investigated.”

“National Operations Centre for Civil Emergencies in cooperation with State Police is working to bring to justice those perpetrators, who in most cases have been identified,” Çako added.

, Haki Çako said on Monday that, all state structures, local and the State Police have been engaged on the ground to extinguish the fires, caused by high temperatures.

“Currently, a  helicopter was used to fight forest fire while intensive work is being carried out to establish appropriate cordon controls to prevent fire,” Çako said in a statement to the media.

Çako emphasized that, “there are a number of factors that affect the lighting of these fires, some of them are caused by shepherds, who demand the reopening of their pastures, just as there are a significant number of residents who burn the bushes and situation gets out of control, including the criminal initiatives which are being investigated.”

“National Operations Centre for Civil Emergencies in cooperation with State Police is working to bring to justice those perpetrators, who in most cases have been identified,” Çako added. //a.i/