This article aims to draw attention to the planning of budget expenditures based on different functions for the year 2023 and their categorization by Government program. The data were extracted from the Plans approved by the Law on the 2023 Budget (Law No. 84/2022).
For 2023, the planned expenditures amount to 698 billion Lek. The largest portion of expenditures is composed by the function of Social Protection, totaling 28.4% of the total annual expenditures planned. The portion of expenditures aimed at social protection are planned at 9.1% of this year’s GDP. Of that, “Healthcare” occupies 9.4% and “Education” 7.3% of the total expenditures budget in 2023.
Source: MFE
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania
There are 173 billion Lek, about 25% of the total expenditure budget, which are reported in the category of “Other” unclassified expenditures. This includes: local government expenditures (65.6 billion Lek), debt payments service (61.0 billion Lek), reserv fund (15.5 billion Lek), budget support for the energy sector (12.0 billion Lek), salary and pension policy contingency fund (8.3 billion ALL), the reconstruction funds (5 billion ALL), other expenditures (5.4 billion ALL). Despite the planning as a separate category, at the end of the year, with the consolidation of the actual budget, unclassified expenses are distributed according to the respective functions where they have been carried out, creating differences between the plan and the actual Budget expensditures allocated by function.
Source: MFE
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania
Expenditures allocated by function in 2023, based on the respective program, have been planned as follows:
Social Protection – 198.2 billion Lek (28.4% of total expenditures or 9.1% of GDP), which covers programs such as Social Security, Pensions and Unemployment (160 billion Lek), Social Care, Disability and Economic Assistance (29.5 billion Lek), Social Assistance for the Military (5.2 billion Lek), Social Housing (2.5 billion Lek).
Source: MFE
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania
Healthcare – 65.7 billion Lek (9.4% of total expenditures or 3% of GDP), which covers programs such as Hospital Care Service (43 billion Lek), Public Healthcare (4.1 billion Lek), Support for Military Healthcare (1.6 billion Lek) and other expenses for health (17 billion Lek);
Source: MFE
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania
Economic Affairs – 54.5 billion Lek (7.8% of the total expenditures or 2.5% of GDP), which covers programs such as Transport (33 billion Lek), Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (9.5 billion Lek), Economic Affairs (9.5 billion Lek), General Employment Affairs (2.6 billion Lek);
Source: MFE
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania
Education – 51 billion Lek (7.3% of the total expenditures or 2.3% of GDP), which covers programs such as Basic Education (25.3 billion Lek), University Education and Science (12.9 billion Lek), Secondary Education (8 billion Lek), Vocational Education (3.4 billion Lek), Military Education (1.4 billion Lek);
Source: MFE
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania
General public services – 50 billion Lek (7.2% of the total expenditures or 2.3% of the GDP), which covers programs such as Government Services, Public Administration and e-Governance (14.5 billion Lek); Executive Bodies – Planning, Management and Administration (14 billion Lek), Legislative Bodies – Courts and Judiciary (11 billion Lek); Property Compensation (3.8 billion Lek), Diplomatic Services (2.6 billion Lek), State Intelligence Service (1.9 billion Lek), Prefectures and Civil Status (1.2 billion Lek), Rehabilitation of the Politically Persecuted (1 billion Lek);
Source: MFE
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania
Public order and security– 37.1 billion Lek (5.3% of the total expenditures or 1.7% of the GDP), which covers programs such as the State Police (19.5 billion Lek), the Prison System and Probation Service (7 billion Lek), Civil Emergencies (4.6 billion Lek), Defense of the Consumer (2.2 billion Lek), the Guard of the Republic (2 billion Lek), SPAK and the Justice Institutions (1.8 billion Lek);
Source: MFE
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania
Housing and community facilities – 36.2 billion Lek (5.2% of the total expenditures or 1.7% of the GDP), which covers programs such as Water Supply, Sewerage and Irrigation (17 billion Lek), the Albanian Fund for Development Programs (13.8 billion Lek), assistance for the Energy sector (3.6 billion Lek); Support for the Communications and the Urban Waste Industry, as well as the Human Resources (1.8 billion Lek);
Source: MFE
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania
Defense” – 26 billion Lek (3.7% of the total expenditures or 1.2% of the GDP), which covers programs such as Combat Forces (18.3 billion Lek) and Combat Financial Support (7.7 billion Lek);
Source: MFE
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania
Other functions of lesser significance in the Budget are: Entertainment, Culture and Religious Affairs (5.4 billion Lek, or 0.8% portion of total expenditures) and Environmental Protection (1.2 billion Lek or a portion of 0.2% of the total expenditure budget).
For 2023, expenditures allocated based on their intended functions are planned with a 9% increase in funds, compared to the 2022 plan. “Defense” is the function with the biggest increase in budget expenditure support (25% increase from the initial 2022 budget), whereas “Environmental protection” is the function with the biggest decrease in funds (29% decrease, compared to the initial 2022 budget).
* The plan for 2022 refers to the initial approved budget, without reflecting the effects of the normative acts approved during the year
Source: MFE
Comments and Analyses: Open Data Albania
Social Protection has undergone a 9% increase in the expenditure budget for 2023, while the other two main functions Education (5% increase) and Health (1% increase) both appear to show lower increase rates than the average increase rate in the overall budget expenditures (9% increase), as well as occupying a lower portion of the GDP in comparison (6% growth) for the period 2023/2022.
Download excel: The 2023 Budget based on Governmental Functions and Programs, Initial Plan, revisions to the annual planComments and Analyses: Open Data Albania
Translated by: Rezarta Cushaj
