The National Statistics Institute (INSTAT) said imports climbed 9.1% from a year earlier to 83.5 billion leks, widening the trade deficit by 6.1% to 48 billion leks.

Export growth was led by minerals, fuels and electricity, followed by construction materials and metals, and machinery and equipment. Textile and footwear exports declined.

Italy and Kosovo recorded the strongest increases among Albania’s main export markets, with exports rising 7.6% and 38.5%, respectively.

Exports to Germany and North Macedonia fell 12.8% and 13% respectively.

On the import side, purchases from Italy rose 24.9% and from China 11.5%, while imports from Türkiye and Spain declined.

The European Union remained Albania’s largest trading partner, accounting for 58.4% of the country’s total trade.

Exports to EU member states represented 69.9% of total exports, while 53.6% of imports originated from the bloc, INSTAT said.

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A total of 38,345 criminal offences were recorded in 2025, up 17.4% from 2024, according to the report published by INSTAT.

The number of suspected offenders reached 45,334, marking a 13.2% increase. Of these, 93.3% were men, with the most represented age group between 30 and 44 years old.

First-time offenders totalled 39,027, up 16.7% year-on-year.

Authorities recorded 19,145 victims in 2025, an increase of 7.8% compared with 2024. Of these, 39.3% were linked to crimes against persons. Women accounted for 36.7% of victims in this category, mainly in sexual offences, crimes against morality and dignity, and domestic-related offences.

The number of registered criminal proceedings rose to 27,049, up 8.5%. Of the 24,491 cases completed, 27.6% were dismissed, 27.8% suspended and 42.5% were sent to court for trial.

A total of 14,356 defendants were recorded in 2025, 9% more than a year earlier, of whom 94% were men.

Meanwhile, the prison population stood at 4,503, up slightly by 0.3% compared with 2024.

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The increase of 69 firms marked a slowdown compared with 349 new enterprises added in 2023, according to the report.

Despite accounting for around 3% of total businesses, foreign-owned firms generated 18.8% of total employment and 20.4% of net sales nationwide, highlighting their outsized role in the economy.

The European Union remained the main source of foreign capital, with EU-based companies making up 60.7% of all foreign enterprises. Italy was the largest single partner, with 2,930 firms employing 46.8% of the workforce in the sector.

It was followed by Kosovo with 582 enterprises and Türkiye with 453, while other Western Balkan countries accounted for 11.9%.

According to INSTAT, foreign investment was concentrated in services and industry. Manufacturing remained the largest employer, while trade generated the highest turnover, accounting for 36.7% of net sales.

In the extractive industry, non-European countries dominated, controlling 87.4% of net sales. China held a leading position with a 63.7% share, largely linked to oil extraction activities.

EU capital remained dominant in other sectors, including construction (58.5%), energy (48.0%) and transport (69.9%).

Although around 86% of foreign enterprises were small, employing between one and nine people, large firms played a disproportionate role. A total of 69 large enterprises accounted for 38.6% of employment and 31.3% of net sales within the foreign-owned business segment.

Total foreign direct investment stock reached 15.4 billion euros at the end of 2024, with EU countries accounting for 55.2%. On a country basis, the Netherlands (16.5%) and Switzerland (14.7%) were the largest investors.

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Presenting the latest economic indicators at a news conference, Ibrahimaj cited data from statistics office INSTAT showing that third-quarter growth was in line with government forecasts and well above the European Union average of 1.6% and the Western Balkans average of 3.4%.

Citing INSTAT figures, Economy Minister said Albania’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) expanded 3.75% in the third quarter.

For the first nine months of 2025, economic growth reached 3.73%, while full-year growth is expected to meet the government’s 3.9% target,” she said.

An analysis by sector shows that growth was largely supported by services and public and private investment. Construction expanded by 4.75%, while trade, transport and accommodation – sectors closely linked to tourism – grew by 2.62%.

The information and communications sector recorded strong growth of 10.4%, while real estate activities increased by 10.55%. Public administration, education and healthcare together contributed 1.68 percentage points to overall growth, reflecting higher investment and wage increases.

By contrast, agriculture, forestry and fishing contracted by 1.73%, while overall industrial activity slowed by 4.75%, mainly due to declines in extractive industries and textile manufacturing.

Ibrahimaj described tourism as the main engine of economic growth.

“Tourism remains one of the key drivers of Albania’s economy,” she said, noting that foreign arrivals reached about 12 million in the first 11 months of 2025, with tourists staying an average of nine days. Hotels and restaurants posted growth of 16% in nominal terms and 3.43% in real terms.

Over the first nine months of the year, services generated 6.5 billion euros in revenue, up 14%, while travel services alone brought in 4.4 billion euros, she said.

Household consumption increased by 1.25%, reflecting stable conditions and inflation remaining below the Bank of Albania’s target.

Ibrahimaj also pointed to an improvement in Albania’s external position, with exports rising 12.55% and imports up 5.47%, resulting in a third-quarter current account surplus of around 658 million euros. On a nine-month basis, the balance also remained in surplus, supported largely by strong exports of services and tourism, despite a widening trade deficit in goods due to higher energy imports and lower metal exports.

Investment rose 4.78% in the third quarter, while foreign direct investment reached 1.2 billion euros in the first nine months of 2025, up 51 million euros from a year earlier. Real estate accounted for 31% of inflows, followed by financial intermediation at 16%, as well as hydrocarbons, energy and communications.

Unemployment fell to 8.1%, while the average gross monthly wage rose 7.25% year on year to 83,300 lek, she said.

Ibrahimaj said the data point to a resilient economy with strong macroeconomic fundamentals and a positive outlook for 2026, adding that a recent International Monetary Fund report also confirmed Albania’s stable growth, while warning that global uncertainty remains the main risk to the region.

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According to the INSTAT’s report on balance of electric power in 2023, public HPPs generated 58.2% of the total net electricity, whereas electricity production from privately-held power plants and plants operated under concession contracts was estimated 40.8%, and around 1% from photovoltaic parks.

Official data show that the gross electricity import was estimated at 1.922 GWh, down from 3.044 GWh in 2022, falling by 36.9%.

The gross electricity export was estimated at 2.842 GWh, up from 2.123 GWh or by 33.9% compared with 2022.

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