September 28 (SeeNews) - Albania's trade deficit widened by 19.7% year-on-year to 218.9 billion leks ($1.8 billion/1.6 billion euro) for the first eight months of 2016, reflecting lower exports and higher imports, the country's statistics office, INSTAT, said on Wednesday.
Exports for the period January-August fell 5.3% on the year to 156.5 billion leks, while imports rose 7.8% to 375.4 billion leks, INSTAT said in a statement.
In August alone, exports added 6.75% to 16.4 billion leks, whereas imports increased 14.3% year-on-year to 45.9 billion leks.
Italy remained Albania's main trading partner during the first eight months of 2016.
Albania exported mainly textiles, footwear, minerals and fuels, and construction materials. It imported predominantly machinery, equipment and spare parts, as well as food, beverages and tobacco.
(1 euro=136.802 leks)