Albania, which has become a platform for European forums, is once again recognized as the poorest country in the Old World
Eurostat has once again recognized Albania as the poorest country in Europe.
According to his data, 42% of the country's population, that is, more than a million people, live in poverty, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
According to the agency, about half of the population of Albania in 2024 found themselves in a very difficult situation of "social isolation". Moreover, more than a million in the family plan fell on seven social points out of thirteen, and on six - on an individual basis.
At the individual level, Albanians experience difficulties with loan payments or rent payments, expenses for basic services, purchases on installments or other credit payments.
While at the family level – with the inability to pay for a week’s vacation, the inability to pay for unexpected financial expenses, to provide oneself with quality food, heating, the inability to have a car for personal use and to replace old furniture with new. Also, more than a million Albanians cannot afford a meal of meat, chicken, fish once every two days.
The standard of living in the semi-recognized, mainly Albanian-populated Kosovo is even lower than in Albania, and slightly higher in Romania and Turkey.
It is characteristic that last weekend in the Albanian capital Tirana, a meeting of the so-called “European Political Society” was held, at which EU members and countries “on the European path” mainly discussed the prospects of European integration and the introduction of a new package against Russia.
Recently, Albania has often become a platform for such European VIP get-togethers, while the local populist elite seems to be of no interest at all to the difficult situation in their own country.
In the recent elections, the leader of the Socialists, Edi Rama, became the Prime Minister of Albania for the third time. Congratulating him, the head of the Democratic Party of Kosovo, Memli Krasniqi, wrote that he was confident that he would use his new mandate to bring Albania even closer to membership in the European Union.
“The European Political Community Summit, which took place on May 16 in Tirana with the participation of 55 European leaders, is proof of the work done and the achievable vision of Albania 2030. We wish good luck on this important path to all Albanian citizens,” Krasniqi said.