Residents of Tirana: May 2026 be better, with higher wages and pensions

Residents of Tirana mostly expect 2026 to bring good health, career advancement, higher incomes, and for pensioners, higher pensions.

“One of my wishes that came true was starting to work, which had been my goal since my student days. That fulfilled my 2025, in short. For 2026, I want to grow even more in my responsibilities. We will see new plans once the new year begins. That is my current priority,” said one of the young women surveyed.

Her friend said that 2025 was undoubtedly a year of challenges for her, and that expectations for 2026 are much higher.

“One of my wishes that came true in 2025, that is, in the year we are leaving behind, was to change jobs and find a better one. That wish was fulfilled. Of course, expectations for 2026 are much higher, but above all, we hope that this year will bring us higher incomes and health for all members of our family,” she said.

An older man complained that his pension was only slightly increased this year, but that in the coming year he primarily wants good relations with people.

“The pension increased a little. The increase starts at the beginning of the year and amounts to 1,800 leks per month. That’s it. What else can I tell you? My wish for 2026 is that we have harmony, health, and that we get along well with people,” the pensioner said.

Another elderly resident emphasized that he is 81 years old and does not receive a pension, and that last year the state did not provide a bonus for a disabled relative who lives with him.

“This is the greatest misfortune of the Albanian state. At home I have my wife’s relative, a disabled person. I took him in because he was left on the street. I consider myself an Albanian who respects tradition. Would you abandon a disabled person without a mother, father, brother, or sister? He had only a sister, my wife. I took him in. He is blind and mentally disabled. Last year they did not give me a New Year’s bonus for this disabled person. I was told that this bonus is given by Edi Rama for work-related disabilities, not for congenital disabilities,” said the 81-year-old.

A middle-aged resident of Tirana said that he fulfilled almost all of his wishes this year and now only wants good health, as he is getting older.

“I fulfilled almost all my wishes. I am very satisfied with my plans and dreams for 2025. All my wishes regarding health and work, almost all of them, were fulfilled. Now I just want to be as healthy as possible because the years go by. May my work also go well,” he said.

A younger resident of Tirana said that the outgoing year was not very good, that it was full of problems and stress, but he expects the next one to be better.

“It wasn’t a very good year. A year of problems and stress. Work was not at the right level. People seem to have problems. Chaos, noise, traffic. We have many problems. We hope the next year will be better. At least people will go out of their homes and spend money, because there are no people on the streets. People don’t go out, they don’t want to spend money,” he said.