According to the Annual Banking System Supervision Report for 2025, the largest share consists of loans taken out by individuals to buy homes, which account for 26.8% of total lending in the banking system.

They are followed by real estate loans taken out by businesses, with a share of 24.3%. Taken together, these two categories make up about 52% of the total stock of loans issued by banks.

In value terms, the stock of loans for property and real estate stands at around 243.6 billion lek for individuals and 216 billion lek for businesses, reaching a total of about 470 billion lek, or approximately 4.7 billion euros.

These figures show that banks have built up significant exposure to the real estate market, both in the household segment and in the business segment.

The Bank of Albania has viewed the acceleration of real estate lending as a factor that could pose risks to financial stability. For this very reason, new limits were introduced last year on two key indicators: the ratio between the loan amount and the value of the property, as well as the ratio of the monthly installment to the borrower’s income.

These rules are intended to curb lending at very high levels relative to property prices and to prevent cases in which the monthly payment becomes a heavy burden on household budgets.

However, even after these interventions, real estate loans to individuals have continued to grow, while this trend has also been influenced by the property revaluation process accompanied by lower tax liabilities.

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According to the Bank of Albania’s Supervision Report, by the end of 2025 the total value of deposits had risen to 1.8 trillion lek, reflecting growth of 9.1% compared with a year earlier.

During the past year, the presence of deposits in the local currency also strengthened, reaching 49% of the total. At the same time, citizens increasingly turned to time deposits, especially long-term ones, showing a tendency to keep their savings in banks for longer periods.

As for the distribution of deposits, the data show that the ten largest depositors hold about 7.5% of the total, a higher share than a year earlier.

Meanwhile, individuals continue to own the largest share of savings, with about 78% of total deposits. The fastest growth was recorded in the private sector and among individuals, while public sector deposits expanded at a more moderate pace.

The relationship between loans and deposits has also continued to rise. At the end of 2025, this indicator reached 51.5%, up from 49.6% a year earlier, showing that banks are putting a larger share of the savings they collect to work in financing the economy, while at the same time maintaining stable liquidity levels.

In lek, the loan-to-deposit ratio remains higher than in foreign currency, showing that lending in the local currency continues to be supported more strongly by savings collected in the same currency.

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Registration will be carried out through the U-Albania portal, while before applying candidates must pay a fee of 2,000 lek. This payment will be made from July 3 to July 26.

According to the Albanian Academic Network, after July 20 the grades from the three years of high school and the State Matura results will be uploaded to the system, which graduates will be able to check before applications begin.

Each candidate will have the right to select up to 10 study programs, according to the order of their preferences. The application will be made online from any device connected to the internet, inside or outside Albania, while for graduates who need assistance, this process can also be completed on the premises of high schools.

Once the application has been confirmed, the data can no longer be changed. For those competing for branches where an entrance competition is held, the authorities require that the deadlines and dates set for them be carefully respected.

Registrations will be divided into three rounds. The second round is scheduled from September 15 to September 17, 2026, while the third round will run from October 8 to October 21, 2026.

Students will also have the opportunity to withdraw within two days after the close of each round, if they choose to enroll in another study program.

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Farmers explain that work in the orchards never stops throughout the year, while expenses for chemical fertilizers, spraying and maintenance have risen significantly. According to them, besides low selling prices, another major problem remains the lack of workforce, as young people have left the country. They say pay for a seasonal worker ranges from 25,000 to 30,000 lek per day, a cost they cannot afford under current market prices.

“There is plenty of produce, but no price. I have been doing this work for 20 years, we were in Greece, we came back from emigration and invested here. We have sold it for 50, 40 and even 30 lek, depending on the produce. We have 1 hectare, I have apricots and peaches. Some years the peaches do well, last year there was no production, but there was a price, and we were satisfied. This year there is production, but there is no price. Yesterday we were also hit by hail,” says farmer Dorjana Hoxha.

“You spend 1 year going around it, starting in January when we spray them, prune them, husband and wife and we wear the child out here too. But what about the workforce? There isn’t any, I bring my son. Why isn’t there any? They have left. What are they supposed to do? Peaches are 30 lek. Prices have gone up. 1 quintal of fertilizer is 100,000 lek, but if you don’t put at least a little fertilizer, this can’t be done. How much does a worker get in the harvest season? They ask for 30, 25. It doesn’t pay for us to hire workers, we try to manage ourselves,” she adds.

Under these conditions, farmers are calling for more support for agriculture and interventions that would guarantee them a more stable market for their produce.

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The report shows that in the first quarter of the year, 108,475 citizens from countries outside the European Union were ordered to leave the territory of a member state. Of these, 34,550 people returned to their countries of origin following the enforcement of the orders.

Compared with the same period in 2025, departure orders fell by 12.8%, while the number of returns increased by 8.1%.

As for those who received orders to leave EU territory, Algerian citizens top the list with 11,105 cases. They are followed by Moroccans with 6,435 and Syrians with 5,335.

For returns to countries of origin, Turkish citizens rank first with 3,555 people, followed by Georgians with 2,060 and Albanians with 2,050.

According to Eurostat data, Albanians account for 5.9% of the total number of people returned from the European Union during this period. Compared with the fourth quarter of 2025, the number of returned Albanians increased by 4.6%.

Among member states, Germany recorded the highest number of returns to third countries, with 7,300 people. It was followed by France with 3,775 and Poland with 2,660.

The report also underlines that 59.6% of returns from the European Union were carried out voluntarily, while 40.4% were forced returns.

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According to emergency physician Albana Koçija, the most common complaints with which citizens present are mainly related to heart disease, as well as alcohol and food poisoning.

Doctors underline that high temperatures can worsen the condition of people suffering from chronic illnesses, and are therefore urging citizens to exercise increased caution during these hot days.

As temperatures are expected to remain high throughout July and August, specialists advise avoiding exposure to the sun during peak hours, maintaining continuous hydration, and consuming fresh foods.

The doctors’ appeal is directed in particular at the most at-risk groups, such as the elderly, children, pregnant women, and people with chronic illnesses, who should limit going out during the hottest hours and seek medical help if they show worrying symptoms.

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Taking this situation into account, the Ministry of Health has called for increased caution and the implementation of protective measures, also sharing the recommendations of specialists from the Institute of Public Health.

According to experts, it is essential to drink fluids regularly, avoid exposure to the sun during the hours when temperatures peak, and choose cool, well-ventilated environments.

Authorities also advise citizens to wear light clothing and, if they show symptoms such as dizziness, severe fatigue, or difficulty breathing, to seek medical help immediately.

Health authorities say that the high temperatures are expected to continue in the coming days, so following this advice and remaining cautious remains essential to avoid heat-related health problems.

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Sina said that Rama had tried to portray him as a friend, but stressed that this, in his view, is impossible, because the prime minister has betrayed Albania and Albanians.

During his speech, he said there can be no friendship with Rama, whom he accused of being responsible for citizens’ hardships and for the current situation in the country.

Referring to the morning message, Sina declared that he was precisely the person whom Rama had tried to approach as a friend, but added that he cannot accept such a thing because, according to him, the prime minister is the cause of his problems and cannot sympathize with his troubles.

He also said that throughout the 24 days of the protest, there have, according to him, been attempts to divide the protesters and label them with various accusations.

According to Sina, during these 24 days there have been attempts to call them Iranian, Greek or Serbian agents, while he stressed that the protesters are all Albanians and that Albania comes first for them.

He went on to say that the protesters are determined to remove the prime minister from power and added that, in his view, “it is time for accountability.”

Continuing his speech, Sina said that today is the day for Rama to leave power and, referring to the expression “fuck you,” which he said the prime minister had directed at Albanians, stressed that their response is: “Rama, resign.”

Earlier in the morning, Prime Minister Edi Rama had publicly addressed the protester, saying that he had been caught up in a “whirlwind of the crowd” and that his beliefs, according to the prime minister, were being misused.

In that message, Rama wrote that he did not see the protester as a loser, but as a man with strong personal convictions, adding that he believed he had an inner concern that was pushing him to take part in the protest.

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In a public statement addressed to citizens and supporters, he stressed that the protest is peaceful and nationwide, while presenting its main demands.

These demands are: the non-negotiable resignation of the prime minister and the entire government; the establishment of a transitional technical government for no less than 12 months; constitutional changes and their approval by referendum, including changes to the Electoral Code, which according to him has held the country hostage since 2008; changes to the law on the financing of political parties, since according to the speaker, through it they are financed by crime and drug money; as well as limiting the exercise of the prime minister’s office to no more than two terms.

He also drew attention to demands articulated earlier, among them the cancellation of the changes to the law on protected areas, the cancellation of the changes to the law on cultural heritage, and the repeal of the “Mountain Pact” and the strategic investor status.

According to him, all of these constitute the “new social contract” between citizens and the state. He added that every further step will be determined after discussions with citizens, underlining that the peaceful, democratic and civic protest will continue until the demands are fulfilled.

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