TIRANA (Albania), September 17 (SeeNews) – Albania's trade deficit increased by 8.6% year-on-year in the first eight months of 2019, reaching 229 billion leks ($2.1 billion/1.9 billion euro), the statistical office said on Tuesday.
Exports fell 2.5% on the year to 200 billion leks in the period under review, while imports increased 3.1% to 429 billion leks, INSTAT said in a statement.
In August alone, Albania's trade deficit amounted to 32 billion leks, up 13.3% year-on-year.
Italy remained Albania's main trading partner during the eight months through August, absorbing Albanian exports of 96.9 billion leks and providing imports of 109.7 billion leks to the country. Other major exporters to Albania were Kosovo, Spain and Germany.
Albania exported mainly textiles and footwear, , minerals, fuels and electricity as well as construction materials, metals.
(1 euro = 120.198 leks)