Pension scheme reaches record contributions - 7-month period/ Over 1.3 billion euros from employees in the country
In 7 months, over 1.2 billion euros have been paid into the state coffers by employees in the private and public sectors, as contributions to the social and health insurance scheme.
Official data from the Ministry of Finance shows that for the period January-July 2026, 117.5 billion lek were collected, or 13.9 billion lek more than the same period a year earlier. Expressed in percentage terms, the increase in revenue is recorded at 13.4%.
On the other hand, this figure is a record in the last decade, increasing by 146% compared to 2016, where income from contributions amounted to 45.4 billion lek.
While in July 2026 alone, 18.4 billion lek were collected, or 2.2 billion lek more.
Several factors have influenced this performance, related to both wage increases and the formalization of the labor market. One of the main elements is the increase in wages in the public and private sectors, which has brought the average salary in the country close to the level of 1 thousand euros per month and, consequently, has also increased the amount of contributions paid for each employee.
The fight against informality, especially controls and measures against under-declaration of wages, has also played an important role. The formalization of wages and the increase in declared amounts have automatically brought more revenue to the social and health insurance scheme.
The reference salaries applied this year in certain sectors, including tourism, construction and medicine, have also had a similar effect. These measures have aimed to align declared salaries with real market levels, generating a direct effect on increasing contributions.
Another element is the increase in the minimum wage to 50 thousand lek per month, as of January 2026. The increase in the minimum wage base has influenced the increase in the obligation for social security and health insurance contributions.
Revenue performance was impacted by the expansion of business activity, through an increase in the number of new entities, as well as improved tax administration. The combination of these factors has led to an expansion of the contributor base and more efficient collection of liabilities, partially offsetting the effects of the labor shortage in the market.
Currently, the minimum monthly payment for social and health insurance for an individual is around 13,950 lekë.
France, additional fees for Temu and Shein - Measures range from 0.25 euros for a pair of socks, up to 12 euros for a coat
France began, from Tuesday, imposing punitive measures against companies that represent the "most extreme end of fast fashion", in an attempt to curb the......
Romania loses 770 million euros in EU funds - Political deadlock hinders public sector wage reform
Romania is expected to lose at least 770 million euros in European Union funds after the main political parties failed to approve the public sector wage......
New 22 km road Roskovec-Lushnje - ARRSH selects the designer, winning bid 21 million lek
The Albanian Road Authority has announced the winner of the tender for the study and design of the new road that will connect Roskovec with Lushnja. The......
Business and consumer confidence increases - Led by construction, trade and services
The economic climate in the country improved significantly during August, with confidence increasing in most sectors of the economy. The Economic Sentiment......
General decline in the foreign exchange market – Major currencies weaken
The US dollar continued to weaken this Tuesday, losing points from yesterday as it was bought this morning for 79 lek and sold for 80 lek according to the......
Strong warnings about the risks of AI - Bank of England Governor: It could destabilize the financial system
The Governor of the Bank of England, Andrew Bailey, has warned G20 finance ministers and central bank governors that the rapid development of artificial......
Italy faces strong population decline - ISTAT warns of a contraction of around 4 million inhabitants by 2050
Italy's population is expected to shrink by almost 4 million by 2050, creating huge pressure on the economy and welfare system, warns the National Institute......
60 square meters cost almost 130 thousand euros! - Skopje is becoming unaffordable. Prices have increased by 29%
Apartment prices in Skopje continue to rise significantly, with the average asking price in advertisements now exceeding 2,150 euros per square meter. This......
