Fifty percent of businesses in Albania view bribery in public administration as a common way to get things done with officials. In 2024, this figure stood at 41%, with companies reporting that bribery offered quicker solutions.

Bribery paid by businesses to the public administration rose significantly in 2025. The latest Balkan Barometer report indicates a worsening perception among Albanian businesses regarding irregular payments, despite the increasing digitalization of public services.

In 2024, around 41% of Albanian businesses said they “agreed” or “fully agreed” that it is common to pay extra fees or gifts to complete procedures with officials. In 2025, this share increased to 50%.

While in 2024 a larger proportion of businesses openly disagreed with this statement, in 2025 the share of those who were “strongly opposed” or “tended to disagree” declined, suggesting that resistance to the normalization of bribery is weakening.

The 2025 Barometer survey shows that the perceived corruption climate in relations between businesses and public administration in Albania has deteriorated, as a growing number of companies now see bribery as a normal part of how the system operates.

Compared with the region, Albania shows a sharper deterioration in bribery perceptions between 2024 and 2025. Regionally, the share of businesses that “agree” or “fully agree” that bribery is common rose from about 41% in 2024 to 47% in 2025, an increase of roughly six percentage points.

Bosnia and Herzegovina leads the region, with 67% of businesses perceiving bribery as a common mechanism in dealings with public administration, followed by Montenegro at 59% and Albania at 50%. The lowest level is reported in Serbia, at 30%.

Unlike the regional pattern, where rising bribery perceptions are accompanied by a more balanced range of views, Albania shows a stronger shift toward acceptance of this practice.