The draft budget for 2026 is approved article by article.

Opposition MPs, during the session in the Parliamentary Committee on Economy, proposed several specific amendments.

Democratic Party MP Igli Cara called for the creation of a contingent fund of 5 billion lek to be distributed within March 2026, as financial support for exporters, to offset the negative effects of the weakening of the euro.

"The amendment is also based on the INSTAT report, according to which the Albanian manufacturing industry is going through a difficult period, with negative performance, especially for medium and large enterprises, which are facing difficulties after the weakening of the euro and inflation, being under a higher tax regime compared to the region," said Cara.

According to MP Cara, the distribution of this fund would compensate for losses and help the sector maintain its contribution to GDP, which is estimated at around 800 million euros.

Also, opposition MPs proposed increasing salaries for the health sector by 25%, with a total fund of 2 billion lek, focusing mainly on rural areas.

Regarding social measures, the following were proposed: increasing the birth bonus to compensate for the effects of depopulation, setting a minimum living wage of at least 200 euros to reduce the gap in income inequality, as well as payments for disability and families in need not be lower than the financial value of the minimum living wage.

In the agricultural sector, opposition MPs proposed tripling the subsidy fund from 6 to 16 million lek, as well as increasing funds for the construction of the Elbasan bypass, with the 2026 budget covering 20% ​​of the project's value.

SP MP, Erion Braçe, said that the opposition's proposals are incomplete and fiscal balance must be respected.

He also stressed the need to support agriculture following the damage caused by fires and floods during the year. Brace noted that the agricultural sector urgently needs compensation for losses and financial support to maintain production and jobs.

The Chairperson of the Commission, Milva Ekonomi, emphasized that at the moment there are no new sources for increasing expenditures, therefore it is necessary to respect the revenue and expenditure ceilings.

Deputy Minister of Finance, Endrit Yzeiri, provided a summary of the fiscal history of the Albanian state, emphasizing that historically collected revenues have been around 25–27% of GDP.

He stressed that in 2026 revenues are expected to reach around 30% of GDP and expenditures around 32%, emphasizing that both are expected to increase gradually in the coming years, and that any increase in expenditures must respect revenue ceilings.

Regarding support for the manufacturing sector, Yzeiri said that starting next year, underfunded sectors will be supported through the Development Bank, with the aim of increasing investments and exports abroad. The sectors must become competitive, not relying on state mechanisms.

The draft budget for 2026 relies on increased budget revenues and an investment plan oriented towards infrastructure, energy, education and agriculture, while an important place is dedicated to social policies.

In addition to the annual indexation of pensions, an additional fund is foreseen for temporary support for low-income pensioners, with the aim of preserving purchasing power in conditions of rising prices.

As part of the pension reform, the government aims to significantly increase current levels. According to forecasts, the urban pension with full years of work is expected to reach 40 thousand lek by 2030 from 27,350 lek today; the partial urban pension to about 22 thousand lek from 15,850 lek currently; while the rural pension to 18 thousand lek from 11,500 lek.

Also, the family pension will increase to 18 thousand lek from 11,400 lek today, while the disability pension is expected to reach 30 thousand lek from 20 thousand lek. The financial effect of this measure for 2026 is estimated at around 10,4 billion lek and will be fully covered by the state budget. For the period 2026-2030, the cumulative effect of the pension reform is estimated at around 1,7 billion euros.

The 2026 draft budget also foresees wage increases in various sectors of the public administration. The minimum wage will increase by 10,000 lek, reaching 50,000 lek from January 1, 2026, a measure that is expected to benefit about 308,000 employees in the public and private sectors. There will also be increases for support workers, teachers, doctors, nurses, law enforcement officers and military personnel.

The draft budget will be discussed article by article on Thursday in the plenary session.