A roundtable was held following the documentary “Poor Albanians”, broadcasted on Top Channel on January 19, 2022. This documentary was produced within the project funded by the European Union entitled “Enhance Journalism to make Accountability occur and Democracy Function!” (EJAD), implemented by Top Channel in partnership with the “Friedrich Ebert Stiftung” Foundation.
Representatives from state institutions, experts of economy and labor market together with journalists were part of the discussions that included the factors leading to the increasing impoverishment of the Albanian people. The experts emphasized the lack of determination of the vital minimum, the difficulties in the labor market, the determination of the minimum wage by law (not allowing the market to regulate itself). The economical aid that the state provides for the unemployed was also discussed.
On the basis of the vital minimum, pensions, economic assistance, wages, etc. will be determined. Stakeholders called for the government to take the next step by approving and applying the vital minimum, even though this means an increased cost for the state budget.
