Speaking to reporters after a government meeting, Ibrahimaj said Albania had submitted the documentation required under two EU procedures and that the process was now in its final stages.

“We expect the funds to open very soon,” Ibrahimaj said, describing IPARD as an important source of financing for the development of Albania’s agricultural sector.

She said both sides were making maximum efforts to reopen the programme and that Albania was not the only country to have faced problems with IPARD, adding that the issues had now been resolved.

Asked about the progress of Chapter 20, covering enterprise and industrial policy, in Albania’s EU accession process, Ibrahimaj said she was hopeful it would be provisionally closed soon.

She said Albania had fulfilled all its obligations under the chapter, while noting that meetings of the EU Council Working Party on Enlargement and Countries Negotiating Accession (COELA) were held behind closed doors.

“We are hopeful that Chapter 20, for which we have fulfilled all the obligations required of us in the EU integration process, will be closed very soon,” Ibrahimaj said.

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Speaking to reporters after a regular cabinet meeting, Ibrahimaj said ministers had discussed the need for a more centralised and transparent public procurement system.

She said preparations for the new AI-powered system were in their final stages and that authorities expected to begin using it later this autumn.

The government will also publish detailed public procurement information through its new digital “Pasqyrë Albania” platform, allowing citizens to track not only procurement procedures and their outcomes but also the implementation of contracts, Ibrahimaj said.

She said the model presented to the government would give a greater role to the Centralised Purchasing Operator and link the systems of the Finance Ministry, the Public Procurement Agency and the operator, as well as contract implementation data.

“This will ensure that public funds are traceable, subject to scrutiny and transparent at every stage for anyone interested,” Ibrahimaj said.

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Ibrahimaj was responding to comments by former Deputy Finance Minister Irena Beqiraj, who questioned the sources of foreign currency entering the Albanian economy and suggested that money from illegal activities had contributed to the appreciation of the lek.

In a post on social media, Ibrahimaj dismissed the claims as unfounded, saying official statistics accounted for the reported 8.5 billion euros in foreign currency inflows through tourism receipts, foreign direct investment and remittances.

According to the Minister, the total comprises 5.72 billion euros in tourism revenue, 1.64 billion euros in foreign direct investment and 1.12 billion euros in remittances, amounting to approximately 8.5 billion euros.

She acknowledged that Albanians spent 3.04 billion euros on travel abroad, but said this did not negate the significance of the 5.72 billion euros spent in Albania by foreign visitors.

“The balance of payments records inflows and outflows separately,” Ibrahimaj said, adding that travel receipts exceeded outbound travel spending by 2.68 billion euros, making tourism a major source of additional euro liquidity in the domestic market.

She also rejected criticism of the foreign investment figures, saying reinvested earnings are internationally recognised as foreign direct investment because they remain in Albania to finance business expansion, capital investment and employment.

Ibrahimaj said the Bank of Albania has consistently linked the structural appreciation of the lek to improvements in the country’s external position, supported by rising tourism revenues, remittances, foreign investment and exports.

She added that the relatively small size of Albania’s foreign exchange market amplifies the impact of higher euro inflows on the exchange rate.

“A relatively strong increase in euro supply from tourism, investment and remittances can have a faster and more visible effect on the exchange rate than it would in a larger and more liquid market,” Ibrahimaj said.

She argued that the appreciation of the lek reflects underlying economic fundamentals rather than unidentified or illicit capital inflows.

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Speaking at a news conference, Ibrahimaj said the economy grew by 3.71% in the first quarter, above the Western Balkans average of 3.6% and significantly higher than the European Union average of around 1%.

She said growth was driven mainly by public administration, health and education, professional and scientific activities, construction and real estate services.

Agriculture, forestry and fishing posted a slight decline of 0.49%, affected mainly by weaker performance in livestock and fisheries, although crop production rose 8.7%, Ibrahimaj added.

Industry contracted by 2.17%, weighed down by declines in extractive industries and textiles, while electricity generation and food processing recorded growth.

Services remained the dominant sector, accounting for 49.6% of the economy, followed by agriculture at 15.5%, construction at 10.7% and industry at 10.2%.

Ibrahimaj said macroeconomic indicators showed continued stability and resilience to external shocks, noting that public debt fell to 48.8% of GDP in the first quarter, down from 54.1% a year earlier.

Austria was the largest source of FDI in the period with around 60 million euros, followed by Italy with 49 million euros, the Netherlands with 48 million euros, and Türkiye and Kosovo.

By sector, 42.5% of investments were concentrated in real estate, 16.8% in financial and insurance activities, and 9.4% in electricity, gas and water.

Ibrahimaj said 9,591 new businesses were registered in the first five months of the year, while business turnover rose by 9.3%, or 142.8 billion leks compared with the same period in 2025.

She said foreign reserves were an important indicator of the country’s ability to withstand global economic volatility.

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Speaking at a meeting with a construction business attended by Prime Minister Edi Rama, Ibrahimaj said the sector has been a key contributor over the past decade, with a broad impact across the wider economy.

She described construction as having a “multiplier effect”, with investments supporting continued economic expansion and contributing directly to higher wages.

According to Ibrahimaj, ongoing projects are expected to generate around 14 million euros in local tax revenues, alongside additional income from related economic activity.

She also cited the example of the host company, which currently employs about 200 people and works with 50 contractors, with plans to expand its workforce to around 1,000 within a year. Wages at the firm range from a minimum of 900 euros to an average of 1,700 euros, with top salaries reaching 3,600 euros, significantly above the national average.

Ibrahimaj said such projects, developed to high urban standards, serve as models for future investment, adding that improving worker welfare and raising wages remain central to government policy, while also boosting social security contributions.

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Speaking at a news conference on 2025 economic indicators and the outlook for next year, Ibrahimaj referred to a recent International Monetary Fund (IMF) report, saying the government had reviewed it carefully but maintains a positive assessment of the fiscal peace initiative.

In its statement following the 2025 Article IV consultation, the IMF said the agreement – which includes debt forgiveness and preferential revaluation of financial statements – could weaken tax administration and compliance.

Ibrahimaj said participation in the scheme is voluntary and designed to provide predictability for both businesses and the state budget.

“It is important that businesses know what they will pay, just as the state must know what revenues it will collect,” she said.

The package includes forward-looking voluntary agreements with tax authorities and measures to address past liabilities, allowing companies to move forward without inherited financial burdens, she added.

Ibrahimaj rejected concerns over fiscal risks, saying projections point to continued economic growth and revenue performance next year, and noted that Albania’s Medium-Term Revenue Strategy is aligned with European Union tax policies.

“Our path is toward alignment with EU standards, and nothing in this package threatens fiscal sustainability,” she said.

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Ibrahimaj highlighted the long-standing ties between the two countries and Japan’s continuous support through JICA projects in agriculture, infrastructure, the environment and health.

She said that Albania was undergoing an important phase of development, noting that structural reforms, the digitalisation of public administration and improvements in the business climate had opened new opportunities for investors.

Economy Minister described the current period as a strong opportunity to advance key sectors such as energy and infrastructure and to adopt innovative technologies that could help transform the economy.

She stressed the value of such forums for building stronger links between Albanian and Japanese companies.

“The Albanian government remains fully committed to supporting every initiative that brings Japanese investment, technology and expertise to our country,” Ibrahimaj said, adding that authorities were ready to work directly with Japanese firms to identify joint projects, simplify administrative procedures and ensure competitive conditions for long-term investment.

Albanian exports to Japan reached more than 8.4 million dollars in 2024, while imports from Japan amounted to 41.9 million dollars.

Ibrahimaj said she was confident the forum would help further develop economic relations and create new opportunities for successful projects.

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