The price of oil in Albania has reached record levels, burdening not only households, but also the manufacturing and service sectors. Through a statement, the representative of the Democratic Party, Eno Bozdo, has called the situation an emergency and has asked the government to intervene immediately with fiscal relief. According to him, oil is being traded at around 229 lek per liter, or approximately 2.5 euros per liter, ranking Albania among the countries with the highest oil prices in the region.
Bozdo states that the price in Albania is about 30% higher than the regional average and above the European Union average, which according to data cited by him was about 2 euros per liter on September 7, 2026. He also references a world average of about 1.4 euros per liter and an average of 2.03 euros per liter for the EU.
According to Bozdo's statement, Albania is among the most expensive countries in Europe for oil prices, while the price is about 55–60% above the world average.
According to Bozdo, countries in the region have taken measures to mitigate the impact of rising fuel prices. He mentioned Serbia, which has temporarily reduced excise duties on gasoline and diesel, while North Macedonia has reduced VAT on fuel from 18% to 10%. Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina have at various times used excise duty reductions and margin restrictions to keep prices under control.
Bozdo also accused the Albanian government of benefiting from higher revenues from the oil price increase, while families and businesses face higher costs. He said that during the previous oil crisis, the Albanian government collected around 15 million euros more, arguing that this revenue should be returned to the economy and families through relief mechanisms.
Faced with the current situation, the Democratic Party asks the government to intervene immediately to reduce the fiscal burden on fuels.
FULL STATEMENT:
These days, the price of diesel/fuel in Albania has reached record levels, unaffordable for our household economy but also for the manufacturing sector, trading at around 229 lek per liter, or around 2,5 euros per liter.
This level places Albania:
As the country with the highest diesel price in the region, about 30% above the regional average;
Above the European Union average, where the average diesel price was €2/L (on September 7, 2026)
World average: 1,4 euros/L
EU-27 average: €2,03/L
According to global data (Global Petrol Prices, Fuel Wide), Albania:
It is in the group of the 5 most expensive countries in Europe for diesel, along with Monaco, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands and Denmark.
diesel prices are significantly above the European average and about 55–60% above the world average
For comparison, in the same period diesel prices in neighboring countries are:
Serbia: around €2,00/L or 18% cheaper than in Albania;
Kosovo: around €1,76/L or 32% cheaper than Albania;
North Macedonia: about €1,6/L or 41% cheaper than Albania;
Montenegro: around €1,87/L or 20% cheaper than Albania;
Bosnia and Herzegovina: about €1,7/L or 27% cheaper than Albania;
The main reason for such high diesel prices in Albania today is the very high fiscal burden: Albanians pay taxes approximately double the region's, and do not receive what they deserve in return!
In the final price of diesel in Albania, the fiscal burden constitutes about 53% (approximately €1,00–1,16/L tax per liter), including:
fixed excise tax (~0,41 €/L),
turnover tax,
carbon tax, and
VAT at 20% is applied to the total price, including other taxes.
In countries in the region, the fiscal burden on diesel is significantly lower, typically around 35% of the final price. This means that, for the same international price of oil, citizens and businesses in Albania pay taxes approximately double the region's per liter of diesel.
What sets Albania apart again, in contrast to other countries in the region and the EU, is the total lack of easing measures, while all countries in the region have acted with easing fiscal interventions:
Serbia has temporarily reduced excise taxes on gasoline and diesel,
North Macedonia has reduced VAT on fuel from 18% to 10%, to mitigate the impact of high prices.
Kosovo, Montenegro and Bosnia have used excise duty reductions and margin restrictions in previous periods, keeping prices lower than in Albania.
We cannot fail to mention here another argument: as diesel prices increase, as citizens pay more out of their own pockets, the government swells. From the previous oil crisis, the Albanian government collected about 15 million euros more in its pockets, undeservedly. No normal government keeps this money, but finds mechanisms to return it to the economy and families. Because no responsible government accepts to get fat when its population is impoverished!
Dear citizens,
Faced with this unprecedented situation, which is unknown how and when it will be resolved, and which has truly shaken markets in all countries, all governments in the world have chosen one or more relief mechanisms which they apply to the fiscal structure/burden of the diesel price, to alleviate, to the extent possible, the high price of diesel which has an impact not only on the households of each of us, but above all on the manufacturing and service economy.
To this end, the Democratic Party strongly urges the government to immediately ease the fiscal burden on fuels. In particular, we stand by our proposal to eliminate the turnover tax and temporarily reduce the excise tax, a combination that would bring the price of diesel in Albania to the regional average.
I must remind you here that every legal initiative by the Democratic Party for such a proposal has been defeated by the votes of the Socialist Party in the Assembly!
Any further rejection of these initiatives, as well as any insistence on a position of irresponsibility, will bring very serious consequences for everyone.
