Prime Minister Edi Rama announced on Wednesday that from January 1, 2026, the minimum wage in the country will increase to Euro 500, and by the end of his government's mandate in 2029, it will reach 700 euros.

In a video address posted on Facebook, Rama indicated that the increase, which will take effect at the beginning of next year, will cover over 307 thousand people.

The Prime Minister also commented on the draft budget for 2026, already submitted for discussion in parliament, emphasizing that the “lion's share” of the funds will be directed to pensioners. Not only Euro 16.5 million are planned for them for indexation, but also an additional Euro 100 million to support their income.

According to him, the value of support for pensioners will double in 2027, reaching Euro 200 million, and in the following years it will continue to grow – Euro 300 million in 2028 and a fourfold increase in 2029, separately from the funds for indexation.

“By 2030, this amount will be five times larger. Pensioners will receive a total of Euro 1.7 billion more, which is a serious investment within our fourth mandate,” Rama stressed.

The Socialist Party of Albania, led by Rama, won its fourth consecutive electoral victory in the parliamentary elections on 11 May 2025, securing 83 seats in the 140-seat parliament. The new cabinet was approved on 18 September, and its main goal is Albania’s membership in the European Union by 2030.

“We say what we do and we do what we say. With the 83 mandates you gave us, we will work tirelessly so that Albania can sit at the EU table as an equal among equals,“ the Prime Minister said in his video address.