At the meeting held today in Tirana, Ritva Heikkinen from the European Delegation to Albania stated that statistics are the basis of sustainable policies and that they do not represent only figures, but the necessary evidence to assess progress in negotiations with the EU.

She singled out Chapter 18, related to statistics, as one of the key elements for accelerating the opening of other chapters, underlining the need for professionalism, independence and quality in data production.

Head of the INSTAT Elsa Dhuli was also in the same line, emphasizing that qualitative statistics are the foundation for drafting policies based on facts and accurate data.

She added that trust in official statistics is essential for Albania’s advancement on the path towards the EU, calling for full implementation of the European Statistics Code of Practice.

“In this process, the key word is that quality statistics are the basis for drafting policies based on facts and figures. This gives statistics an irreplaceable role on the path to European integration. Trust in official statistics is essential for the EU integration and this implies implementation of the European Statistics Code of Practice,” said Dhuli.

Meanwhile, the Swiss Ambassador to Albania Ruth Huber appreciated involvement of local actors in the creation of reliable data to build an open and accountable government.

“Reliable data co-created with local actors lays the foundation for accountable governance. We need to focus on statistics that are easy to understand, reliable and empower civil society, business, media, academia and local actors,” Huber stressed.

Chapter 18 of the negotiations with Brussels, related to ‘Statistics’, requires investments in statistical infrastructure and adaptation to EU standards, not only at the central but also at the local level.

The Albanian government is committed to meet all EU standards in the production and processing of official statistics by 2027, when the accession negotiations are aimed to be concluded. /e.xh/a.f/p.s./

In a press conference on the housing and population results, the head of the National Institute of Statistics Elsa Dhuli underlined that the census provides updated information on Albania’s resident population, their geographical, economic, educational characteristics, as well as information on emigration, dwellings and their characteristics.

Dhuri took full accountability for census results accuracy, saying “the data were collected through door-to-door method.” She turned down the accusations over alleged inaccurate data.

She said that the final census results were released in a record time of seven months.

INSTAT officials said that the population census was conducted under the supervision of international experts.

According to them, the natural increase in population is muted with a progressive decline in births and this phenomenon, along with emigration and increased life expectancy, is leading to an aging population.

INSTAT officials underlined that the 2023 census had a coverage rate of 97%, with only a very small number of residents refusing to answer the questionnaire.

INSTAT unveiled last week the results of its 2023 Population and Housing Census, revealing that Albania now has 2,412,113 residents, decreasing by 409,831 people compared to the 2011 census.

According to INSTAT, in September 18, 2023, Albania had 2 402 113 residents and 755,950 households, with an average of 3.2 members per family, living in 1,082,529 dwellings, with a population density of 83,6 people per km2.

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At the press conference today to announce the data from the 2023 Census, Dhuli said that in Albania there are 2,402,113 inhabitants, who make up 755,950 families of 3.2 members and who live in 1,082,529 homes.

She appreciated it a very important process because it provides essential information for measuring the objectives for sustainable development, to be integrated through official statistics as a necessity and a common language for measuring the progress of each country in the big European family.

Dhuli stated that the Census met one of the conditions for opening negotiations; the results will be used to provide necessary statistics as part of the European Statistical System in the future.

The data, she added, are a public benefit and are offered to policy makers, decision makers, researchers, businesses, to use for development planning, analysis of demographic, social, economic and environmental phenomena, making important decisions and implementing them in practice for the benefit of our society.

The methodology, definitions, concepts were based on the recommendations of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) for the 2020 census round and the regulations of the European Union.

Census 2023 is the 12th in the span of 100 years of the history of censuses in Albania and the opening of the first official statistics office./p.s./

Presenting an annual report for 2023, Dhuli said that work has been launched to recover INSTAT’s systems.

“We assessed potential damages and followed the recommendations the state authorities of AKCESK and AKSH to fully recover and make entire INSTAT’s infrastructure stronger. Out of 40 infected computers, six of them were partially damaged. Census data were not affected,” Dhuli stated.

According to her, INSTAT will complete a database and make its systems fully operational by the end of this month.

Albania was hit by an unprovoked massive cyberattack in July 2022 aimed at paralyzing the country’s public services and hack data and electronic communications from the government systems.

In September, authorities announced that the systems were under attack again. On February 1, INSTAT reported that its systems were hit by a sophisticated cyberattack aimed that Institution’s technological infrastructure.

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Speaking to reporters, Dhuli invited all citizens who have not completed the census to become part of the process.

“During this period, about 5,240 interviewers have knocked on the doors of households, who have responded positively to our call to answer the census questionnaire. Despite the high participation of citizens in this activity, about 3 percent of the areas in the entire territory of the Republic of Albania have not yet been counted; therefore in some areas of some municipalities of the country, the collection of information in the context of the census will continue until November 15”, said Dhuli.

According to Dhuli, the reasons for this decision are the long distances; new constructions and those in the areas affected by the earthquake, which were identified during fieldwork by INSTAT workers.

“This continuity of the process means full coverage of the territory by this activity”, she said.

The population and housing census started on September 18 of the current year and was expected to continue for a six-week period, until October 28, 2023. But now, this process will be postponed until November 15, 2023. The first results of the population and housing census are due to come out in June 2024./p.s./

Director of the Institute of Statistics (INSTAT) Elsa Dhuli told ATA that the data obtained from Census will help both the central government and the local government for the good management of services to citizens and the community.

“I expect data and results that will be qualitative for all users of official statistics and for policy makers. They will serve for the drafting of important policies that will help both the central and local government for the good management of services to citizens and the community. We must have data to know where the school, hospital, road will be built”, said Dhuli.

“The Census questionnaire is based on citizens’ self-declaration. The interviewers should not ask for documents such as a house contract, certificate, lease contract and they should not ask for financial data”, Dhuli emphasizes.

The Population and Housing Census started on September 18, 2023 and will last 6 weeks.

According to the law, every person who, during the period when the Census will be carried out, is a common resident within the territory of the Republic of Albania is obliged to provide the information required in the Census questionnaires, in a complete, accurate and reliable manner.

For the first time, we will have accurate data on the number of foreigners living in our country.

The only exceptions are questions about ethnic identity, religion and language, for which you can choose the option “prefer not to answer”.

This is the 12th census in the history of Albania, which is conducted 100 years after the first census in 1923 and thanks to technological developments it will be possible to fully implement the European standards of census development.

June 2024 will be the month when the data obtained from the 2023 registration are finalized and made public./r.e/p.s./

According to INSTAT, no essential issues have been encountered and INSTAT and census taking teams are committed to guarantee the right of every citizen to register.

Preliminary information shows that citizens across the country have welcomed the appeal to participate in the population and housing census all over the territory of Albania.

The Director General of INSTAT, Elsa Dhuli said in a press release that INSTAT has employed the civil service employees to monitor and provide solutions to the potential problems during the census-taking process.

“No issues or essential complaints have been encountered so far regarding the data collection in the ground. In addition to the census-taking teams, INSTAT has also employed civil service employees to tackle the potential problems that can be encountered during such a complex process of the population and housing census. I would like to underline that this is purely a technical process and the information collected from all Albanian households is confidential,” Dhuli said.

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