Albanian garment sector faces crisis amid euro devaluation

Democratic Party deputies Jorida Tabaku and Kliti Hoti have raised alarms regarding a crisis in the garment manufacturing sector following a visit to a business in Shkodër. They reported that one enterprise, which previously employed 140 workers, has seen its staff reduced to only 30, with machinery being sent back to Italy.

Tabaku attributed the decline to the devaluation of the euro, which has reached a ten-year low of 90 lek per euro, reducing the value of products for export businesses by at least 35%. The sector is also facing increased pressure from rising social security contributions, higher transport costs, and other operational expenses.

The deputies warned that the loss of domestic production capacity threatens the country's economic future and called on the government to implement policies that support manufacturing and employment to prevent the total suspension of the sector.