As Albania prepares for parliamentary elections on May 11, political parties are unveiling ambitious development programs, turning the campaign into a contest of visions focused on economic growth, infrastructure, and digital transformation.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, seeking a new mandate for his ruling Socialist Party, visited the southeastern Vjosa region this week to inspect construction works on a new road linking the area to the Adriatic coast. He described the project as a strategic investment to boost tourism and agriculture.
“This is a road that puts Vjosa where it belongs – on the national map of development,” Rama said. Despite earlier setbacks including a landslide during construction, the prime minister said all damages were covered by the contractor, and the project is now progressing steadily.
Deputy Prime Minister and Infrastructure Minister Belinda Balluku also presented a major energy initiative: the gasification of the southeastern city of Korça. In cooperation with Azerbaijan’s state energy company SOCAR, the project will create Albania’s first local gas distribution network, with plans for nationwide expansion.
“Korça has demonstrated effective public service management and is well-positioned to lead this energy transformation,” Balluku said, noting potential future links to North Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro.
In the opposition camp, former Prime Minister Sali Berisha — leading the “Alliance for Great Albania” coalition — laid out a platform centered on welfare and price controls. At a rally in Dibër, he pledged a 200-euro minimum guaranteed income for all citizens, including pensioners, the unemployed, students and orphans. He also promised to raise the minimum wage to 500 euros and introduce a “consumer card” offering 20% discounts on food for low-income groups.
Berisha vowed major subsidies for agriculture and livestock, alongside soft loans and insurance against climate risks. His plan includes doubling budgets for health and education, abolishing university tuition fees, and scrapping grade thresholds for admissions. “We will return the money to the people,” he said, making redistribution a central theme of his campaign.
Lulzim Basha, leader of the center-right Euro-Atlantic Coalition, presented a tech-focused vision in Elbasan. He promised to establish four regional centers for IT, artificial intelligence and robotics, training 25,000 specialists with starting salaries of 2,000 euros over the next four years.
“Albania is losing a historic opportunity by failing to invest in the digital economy,” Basha said. “We must build a future where young people stay to innovate — not emigrate.”
The May 11 elections are seen as pivotal for Albania, a NATO member and EU candidate country, which continues to face challenges including emigration, economic stagnation and public distrust in institutions. As parties shift their narratives toward innovation, jobs and sustainable growth, the campaign marks a shift in tone — from ideological divisions to pragmatic promises of transformation.
