The Public Health Specialist in Gjirokaster, Bledi Ahmeti, says that there are several reasons why the lowest number of births was registered in this city.

In an interview for Euronews Albania, Ahmeti said that immigration has had a big impact, but so has the COVID-19 pandemic.

Ahmeti added that the age of marriage and the age of women’s first birth has increased.

According to him, there is also an increased number of divorces.

“Even in Gjirokastra, this has been reflected for several reasons. Gjirokastra is a border district and therefore it is also an immigrant district. Emigration to Gjirokastra is at the highest level considering its population. Since the demographic movements of the population have been in large proportions, this has also been reflected in the number of births.

In 2018, we had 395 births, while in 2022 we have 285. The COVID-19 pandemic also influenced this decrease in the number of births. But it is also the modern lifestyle that has affected our country and surroundings and has had the greatest impact on the decrease in the birth rate. The age of marriage has increased, the age of first birth has increased”, he emphasized.