Rama Increases Funds for the Administration’s ‘Patronage Workers,’ Cuts Spending for Schools and the Poor

The Rama government has planned a significant increase in public administration spending in the draft state budget for 2026, while funds for education and social protection are set to shrink.

The new budget structure shows a shift in priorities, where the administration’s “patronage network” appears to benefit more than the education sector or vulnerable groups.

According to the draft budget data, the fund for general public services, which includes the administration, policy management, and central government functions, will reach 68.5 billion lek, accounting for 7.7% of total expenditures, up from 7% a year earlier. This increase reflects higher salaries and operating costs within the state apparatus.

By contrast, education and social protection, two key sectors for the country’s sustainable development, will see reductions. Education will receive 70 billion lek, or 8% of the total budget, down from 8.1% in 2025, while social protection, which includes pensions and economic assistance, will drop to 27.3% of total spending, a decrease of 0.4 percentage points.

Meanwhile, funds for public order, security, and national defense will increase. Defense will reach 43 billion lek, or 4.9% of expenditures, in line with NATO commitments, while public order and security will receive 55.8 billion lek, rising to 6.3% of the total.

Investments in economic affairs, mainly infrastructure and development, will remain stable at 9.4% of the budget, while healthcare will maintain its current share of 9.2%, unchanged from this year.

On the other hand, areas related to the environment, culture, and heritage remain completely outside the government’s focus. Environmental protection will receive just 0.2% of the total budget, a symbolic amount compared to the European average, while culture, entertainment, and religious affairs will account for only 0.8%, far below EU standards.

Overall, the 2026 draft budget seems to continue the same trend as in recent years, more money for the central administration and political structures, and less for education, culture, and social protection. This approach further drives Albania’s poor, middle class, and education system toward decline, apparently the ongoing priority of this government, which repeats the same budgetary pattern year after year.