The figure was the highest customs revenue recorded for an eight-month period and was driven by stronger import activity, improved customs administration and tighter controls, the directorate said.

Value-added tax (VAT) on imports was the main contributor to the increase, generating about 4.4 billion leks more than in the first eight months of 2025. Excise revenue rose by about 2 billion leks.

Excise revenue from cigarette imports alone increased by about 1.4 billion leks, while the volume imported and consumption rose by around 111 tonnes. Revenue from imported fuel also increased, by 258 million leks, while higher receipts were recorded from imported beer and domestically produced tobacco.

Within import VAT, fuel generated the largest increase, contributing 2.5 billion leks more than a year earlier, followed by clothing with 673 million leks, cigarettes with 462 million leks, and computers and printers with 304 million leks.

Customs duties also rose by about 568 million leks, with clothing, footwear and other goods, base metals and other products among the main contributors.

The customs administration said the results reflected continued positive performance, while efforts to simplify procedures, combat informality and strengthen controls were aimed at creating a more orderly business environment and fairer competition.

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Total revenues for the four-month period reached about 275.7 billion leks, equivalent to 105.2% of the planned target for the period. Compared with the same period last year, revenues increased by around 28.8 billion leks, or 11.7%.

Public expenditure over the same period amounted to approximately 221.6 billion leks, reaching 95.1% of the planned level. Compared with January–April 2025, spending rose by 6.2%, or around 12.9 billion leks.

Malaj said revenues collected by tax and customs authorities totalled 171.6 billion leks, up 7.7 billion leks, or 4.7%, compared with the same period a year earlier.

Customs revenues – including VAT on imports, excise duties, customs tariffs and mining royalties – reached 73.6 billion leks, up 1.2 billion leks, or 1.7% year-on-year, achieving 96.8% of the four-month target for 2026.

VAT on imports also registered growth, reaching 49.5 billion leks in January-April 2026, an increase of 704 million leks, or 1.4%, compared with the same period in 2025.

Excise revenues amounted to 20.4 billion leks, up 437 million leks, or 2.2%, compared with January–April 2025, achieving 97.5% of the planned target.

Finance Minister said the increase reflected improved tax and customs administration as well as the more consistent implementation of the medium-term revenue strategy.

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Official data from the Durres Port Authority showed that the port earnings rose 7% year-on-year in the first quarter of 2024.

Some of the factors contributing to the Durres port’s financial and economic performance and stability are well management, reduced spending and effective use of port capacities.

In January alone, more than half a million tons of goods were handled or 45% more than during the same period of the previous year.

New processing and container handling standards have been set with the online operative Navis 4 system already operational at Albania’s largest seaport of Durres.

Merchant ships transporting goods from/to Durres have so far sailed from/to 67 ports in 24 countries.

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