According to the Mabrian data, Albania posted a 75 percent rise in international flights over 2019.

Albania hit this level helped by a 278 percent increase in connectivity with Germany.

The published report also compares hotel prices based on the average price.

Albania maintains prices 4.1% below 2022 levels for 4-star hotels. However, it marked a price increase of 6.3% for 3- and 5-star hotels.

The report was published ahead of the annual New Deal Europe event to be held on March 28 in London./r.e/p.s./

In a TV interview, Rakacolli said that, “It is an expected increase, both because of the Omicron variant, which is known to be more infectious than the previous variants, but also because of the holidays and the movements of people. Despite implementation of measures that we constantly appeal to citizens to observe, we are aware that they are not observed as much as we advise.”

According to her, vaccination has played a significant role in curbing the spread of the pandemic.

“It is predicted that the cases will increase and this will appear in the first two weeks of January, but we hope it will not be out of those situations that we have experienced at the end of 2021″, underlined Rakacolli.

Deputy Minister Rakacolli said that, “For now, in Albania, the Delta variant continues to be predominant. So, Omicron is not as prevalent as it is in some other parts of the world. While Florona is an overlap of viral infections with influenza and SARS-COV2.”

In Tirana, continued Rakacolli, there is also seasonal flu that is active, and which we did not have last year.

“The fact that it shows that the flu has started to prevail, then COVID no longer has that distributing power as in the beginning, but also that vaccination has given its effect”, added Rakacolli.

Regarding vaccination, Rakacolli said that the process is moving at a satisfactory pace. 44% of the target population +16 years old were vaccinated with two doses, 55% with one dose” ./ k.s /p.s./

In January-September of this year, almost 4.9 million foreign nationals entered Albania, marking an increase of 129% compared to the same period of 2020, during the height of the pandemic. Compared to the 9-month period of 2019, the entries of foreign nationals were about 11% lower.

Tourism sector is seen as an important source of income generation and job creation.

Prior to COVID-19 pandemic, the tourism sector employed about 64,000 people, contributing about 3.23% to the country’s GDP.

In order to support the tourism sector, the Albanian government will establish in 2022 sovereign guarantees worth 1 billion ALL. The loan to this sector guaranteed by the state budget will focus on investment support.

Meanwhile, draft budget made available for the National Coastal Agency to continue the initiative of beach clean-up in 4 cities during 2022-2024, is worth respectively ALL 200 million.

The waste fund in cooperation with local government units is worth ALL 500 million. //a.i/

INSTAT published today the report on the use of information and communication technology in enterprises for 2021.

According to INSTAT report, the largest share of e-commerce is occupied by enterprises operating in the field of information and communication with 32.2%, followed by accommodation and food service activities with 29% and administrative and support services with 26.1%.

The report says that, the website is used by 45% of enterprises using computers with Internet access compared to 44.6% in 2020.

In 2021, 92.8% of enterprises used the website to display product catalogs or their prices, 38.3% used it to receive orders, reservations or online bookings and 42.2% of enterprises used it for reference in their social media profiles.

Enterprises with 10 or more employees who have used computers for business purposes during 2021, accounted for 98.5% of economic enterprises compared to 98.3% in 2020.

Employees who have used computers for working purposes accounted for 27.8% of the total employees of enterprises compared to 27.2% in 2020. The highest percentage of employees who use computers is observed in the information and communication activity with 75.2%, followed by from professional, scientific and technical activities with 62.7%. //a.i/

DP leader Lulzim Basha referred to the latest debate at the parliamentary committees on the number of vaccinated people and the difference between the data released by the government and the data reported by the international bodies.

“This is not the first time when they lie about the pandemic,” Basha said in his remarks at the parliament’s plenary session.

“Because citizens already know that the government has lied them about the economic relief package, the government has lied about reimbursement of the COVID-19 patients, abusive tenders amid the pandemic justified as state secrets, but most importantly, they have lied about number of COVID-related fatalities,” Basha stated.

According to him, this has been already confirmed by the European Commission’s report.

Basha underlined that citizens are bearing the brunt of costs out-of-pocket healthcare spending.

“Every COVID-19 outpatient has paid averagely $1.000 for testing, medicines and oxygen, whilst the reimbursement scheme failed to relieve the Europe’s most impoverished citizens,” he stated.

/j.p/u.sh/

This decision was approved pursuant to Article 100 of the Constitution, Article 10, Law no. 43/2016, “On international agreements in the Republic of Albania”, and Article 26, Law no. 9665, dated 18.12.2006, “On state borrowing, state debt and state loan guarantees in the Republic of Albania”, amended, on the proposal of the Minister of Finance and Economy.

This decision enters into force immediately. //a.i/

According to the BoA, the total consumer lending, non-performing loans amounted to 6.7% in August this year.

Potentially, the deterioration of the financial conditions of individuals due to the pandemic, may lead to a further materialization of credit risk for this segment. However, the Bank of Albania deems that these risks remain controlled.

At the end of June 2021, consumer loans accounted for 11.8% of lending to the non-financial private sector and only 4.1% of assets in the balance sheet of public sector banks.  //a.i/

According to Tabaku, the reimbursement provided by the government doesn’t account even for one percent of the amount the COVID-19 patients and households have spent in prescription medication.

“This is the true face of a government that uses politics not to serve the abandoned and poverty-stricken citizens, but to get rich for themselves,” the opposition lawmaker said.

“Albania is the country with highest poverty rate, but with the lowest salaries in the region. This can’t be the way how our country is governed,” Tabaku added.

/r.e/u.sh/

The meeting focused on main issues currently facing Albania, including the climate change challenges, economic difficulties stemming from the country’s history, the pandemic-related situation and the governance challenges.

The discussion was also attended by the Chair of ODI’s Board of Trustees of the Overseas Development Institute (ODI) Suma Chakrabarti, the Chief Executive at ODI’s Board of Trustees, Sara Pantuliano, as well as the British Ambassador to Albania Alastair King-Smith.

In his remarks, the head of the central bank underlined that building a better future should start with finding a safe path and a way out of the pandemic. Sejko stated that economic policies should fuel post-pandemic recovery and avoid a hasty removal of incentives and relief.

“On the other hand, due attention should be paid to oversee and prevent the potential risks from debt overload, both in the public and private sectors, and rising inflation,” central bank governor said.

Governor Sejko noted that banking sector played a crucial role to Albania’s economic response to the COVID-19, relieving the economic recovery.

/u.sh/

Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu, in her capacity of President, while for the first time this important position belongs to Albania, proposed by the WHO and approved by all member states of the Regional Committee, is chairing this high-level meeting of the World Health Organization on COVID-19 pandemic response and lessons learned.

“Honored and privileged for the opportunity given by the WHO Regional Committee for Europe to Albania, to chair the 71st Session of the WHO Regional Committee for Europe, which is taking place in Copenhagen” – said Minister Manastirliu after election at this Session of the WHO Committee on Europe.

Leaders of states and ministers of health of 53 countries, WHO director dr. Tedros Adhanom, WHO Director for Europe dr. Hans Kluge, with the special participation of the Crown Princess of Denmark and the world’s most famous experts, dr. Fauci, prof. Monti is discussing the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic, to resize access to health services in the light of the pandemic.

Redimensioning primary care, investing in addressing mental health issues, the Immunization Agenda 2030, and mitigating inequalities in access to vaccines are the focus of discussions taking place in Copenhagen, Europe’s most important annual Health Meeting which carries out the works from 13-15 September./mm//aa/p.s./