As the full financial data on government spending over 2016 are becoming available, the effects of the government’s policy to focus on “urban requalification” rather than investment into the deteriorating Albanian infrastructure are becoming visible. The official data show that the national investments into the infrastructural network in 2016 have plummeted.
In 2014, investments through the Albanian Road Authority (ARrSh) were more than 24 billion lekë (~€180 million). In 2016, these investments have fallen by more than two-thirds, to 7 billion lekë (~€55 million) over the entire year.
At the same time, several large infrastructural project remain to be completed. Both the Fier and Vlora bypass are unfinished, as well as several segments of the highway between Elbasan and Tirana. Similarly, the Tirana Ring is still waiting to be completed. Both sides of the Rruga e Kombit to Kosovo remain to be finished through a concession scheme, whereas the Rruga e Arbrit to Skopje exists merely as plan.
