TIRANA (Albania), January 17 (SeeNews) – Albania's trade deficit increased by 5.8% year-on-year in 2019, reaching 350 billion leks ($3.2 billion/2.8 billion euro), the statistical office said on Friday.
Exports fell 3.8% on the year to 299 billion leks in the period under review, while imports increased 1.2% to 649 billion leks, INSTAT said in a statement.
In December alone, Albania's trade deficit amounted to 34 billion leks, down 12.6% year-on-year.
Italy remained Albania's main trading partner last year, absorbing Albanian exports of 143.1 billion leks and providing imports of 164.2 billion leks to the country. Other major exporters to Albania were Turkey, China and Greece.
Albania exported mainly textiles and footwear, minerals, fuels and electricity as well as construction materials and metals.
(1 euro = 120.964 leks)