The strengthening of the Albanian lek against foreign currencies has prompted the Bank of Albania to purchase €800 million this year, while the country’s foreign exchange reserves have risen to €7.2 billion.

On the other hand, the state budget is expected to lose around €100 million this year due to lower revenues from customs, as the stronger lek reduces the value of imports in local currency terms.

The majority of the foreign reserves are held in securities (€5.3 billion), followed by deposits and cash (€1.3 billion), and gold bullion (€317 million).

The reserves are activated during times of crisis or uncertainty and are used to service foreign debt, ensure the continuity of import supplies, and maintain exchange rate stability.

With this level of reserves, Albania can currently cover at least 7.3 months of imports.