Macroeconomy: Albania’s economy kept growing in early 2026, but the pace slowed: GDP rose 3.7% in Q1 (down from 4% in the prior quarter). Private consumption led (+3.9%), while industry and agriculture still dragged. Investments also cooled sharply. Trade & industry: Exports jumped in June to 35.4bn leks (+13.6% y/y), led by energy, minerals and building materials, while imports rose too, keeping the trade gap wide. Energy costs: A new ranking highlights how steep household energy bills are across Europe, with Albania at the low end of “excellent” bathing-water quality—useful context for tourism-linked consumer spending pressures. Tourism: Albania’s tourism minister says protests have hit the sector: foreign arrivals in June grew only ~1% y/y, down from 8% earlier, with cancellations tied to images of unrest. Transport infrastructure: Parliament moved forward on electrifying the Tirana–Durrës railway via an EBRD loan ratification, targeting modern electric service by end-2027. Food safety & farming policy: A draft ratification with Germany sets up the EU4Food Safety push to modernize controls, labs and procedures. Agriculture legislation: Parliament approved a package of agriculture bills, including trade certificates, an agricultural census, chemical management updates and aquaculture amendments, with a notable split inside the ruling Socialist Party. Business & finance: Raiffeisen Bank Albania won three Euromoney Awards for Excellence 2026, including best digital bank and best ESG bank. Construction labor: Albanian migrants in Greece have scaled up from workers to construction business owners, reflecting regional labor-market shifts. Public finance: Albania recorded a near-53bn-lek budget surplus in H1, giving the state more room to fund infrastructure without extra borrowing. Governance & land: The Zvërnec luxury resort controversy spotlights long-running land governance problems, including disputed property records and secrecy around major projects.