TIRANA (Albania), August 19 (SeeNews) – Albania's trade deficit increased by 7.8% year-on-year in the first seven months of 2019, reaching 197 billion leks ($1.8 billion/1.6 billion euro), the statistical office said on Monday.
Exports fell 2.6% on the year to 180 billion leks in the period under review, while imports increased 2.6% to 377 billion leks, INSTAT said in a statement.
In July alone, Albania's trade deficit amounted to 32 billion leks, up 1.1% year-on-year.
Italy remained Albania's main trading partner during the seven months through July, absorbing Albanian exports of 89.9 billion leks and providing imports of 98.9 billion leks to the country. Other major exporters to Albania were Kosovo, Spain and Germany.
Albania exported mainly textiles and footwear, construction materials, metals, minerals, fuels and electricity.
(1 euro = 120.053 leks)