Albania faces minority reforms, tourism boost, and labor skill mismatch

A parliamentary report highlights that more than 65,000 citizens in Albania identify as members of national minorities. The Greek community remains the largest with 23,485 people, followed by Egyptian, Rom, Bulgarian, Bosniak, Aruman, Macedonian, Serbian and Malay (Mala) groups. The report urges special protection for the municipalities of Dropull, Finiq and Pustec, where minorities exceed 20% of the population, demanding bilingual signage and language rights in local administration.

According to INSTAT, Albania recorded over five million foreign visitor arrivals in the first half of 2026, a 6.2% increase from the same period in 2025. Visitors from South Europe accounted for 66% of arrivals, and 98% travelled for personal reasons such as holidays or family visits, while business trips fell by 17.7%.

Labor market data show that around 68,000 people remain unemployed despite a slight overall decline. Experts attribute the persistent joblessness to a mismatch between workers’ skills and market demand, particularly in construction, tourism and trade sectors. Nearly half of job seekers are over 45, with many lacking technological competencies, prompting calls for retraining programs.