The widow’s bonus, a government initiative to influence demographic growth, has had fewer beneficiaries this year. This is because most of the children were born abroad.

12,123 newborns have benefited from the baby bonus for the period January-April 2023, marking a decrease of 4% compared to the same period a year ago.

Despite the decline in the number of beneficiaries of the baby bonus, the vast majority of it goes to those born abroad. For the months of January-June, according to INSTAT data, the number of births was 10,283 in 2023. While for the same period of 2022, the number of births was 11,791 babies.

Based on the monthly average of fertility and bonus recipients, about 43% of bonus babies were born abroad.

Due to the high number of beneficiary babies outside Albania, in May the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare drafted the draft law “For an addition and an amendment to Law No. 57/2019 “On Social Assistance in the Republic of Albania”, where point 1 of article 9 of the law excludes persons who are not residents of Albania from benefiting from this bonus.

The draft law has been sent to the Assembly for approval. Among other things, the report emphasizes that during the years 2019-2021, that is, with the approval of this program, 117,942 children born inside or outside the country have been supported.

For 2022, according to the report, 42,761 newborn children were supported. 24,504 checks were distributed to children born within the country and 18,257 checks to children born abroad.

Baby bonus is being given since January 1, 2019, which supports families through the direct delivery of a check worth 40,000 Lek for the first child, 80,000 Lek for the second child and 120,000 Lek for the third child. The bonus is available to all children registered in Albania, even if the baby was born abroad, in the form of a check drawn by the mother.