TIRANA (Albania), June 17 (SeeNews) – Albania's trade deficit increased by 10.9% year-on-year in the first five months of 2019, reaching 137 billion leks ($1.3 billion/1.1 billion euro), the national statistical office said on Monday.
Exports fell 3.6% to 127 billion leks in the January-May period, while imports increased 3.4% to 264 billion leks, INSTAT said in a statement.
In May alone, Albania's trade deficit amounted to 31 billion leks, up 17.4% year-on-year.
Italy remained Albania's main trading partner during the five months through May, absorbing Albanian exports of 63.2 billion leks and providing imports to the country of 67.9 billion leks. Other major exporters to Albania were Kosovo, Spain and Germany.
Albania exported mainly textile and footwear, construction materials and metals and minerals, fuels, electricity.
(1 euro = 121.095 leks)