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| Screenshot of the poll results by Monitor |
According to a survey of large and small businesses, over 70 percent of them estimate that the recovery will take more than a year and that they have not received any significant support from the authorities for this purpose.
According to international financial institutions, Albania is one of the countries with the deepest economic downturn during the pandemic.
Job losses and a marked decline in purchasing power severely damaged the economy and small, medium and large businesses.
A survey of companies, published today by Monitor magazine, showed that the vast majority, over 70 percent of them, can not recover within a year and that quarantine and protocols after it have reduced the number of customers, even that damaged by the pandemic in family budgets.
In addition to Monitor magazine, the Albanian Center for Economic Research is also making observations on this unusual situation of the Albanian economy.
Its leader, Zef Preçi, says the Albanian economy has structural weaknesses, which were affected by the pandemic, just as the modest exports were affected by it.
He added that while the world deals only with the pandemic, Albania has 3 crises; earthquake, pandemic and misgovernance, which only deepens the debts.
"The third crisis, which is permanent throughout the decade and throughout the transition, is the crisis of misgovernance. Taken together, these three crises result in the misuse of public funds and public means, permits, licenses, etc., increasing the influence of the oligarchy in government decision-making, the uncontrolled growth of public debt to dangerous limits, and the lack of perspective due to the extremely slow increase of jobs, the necessary lack, etc.” - says Mr. Preçi.
Researchers claim that in the midst of this crisis the government has not yet established a normal communication with business circles, issued some minimum payments for a part of the workers, while sovereign loans are not working enough.
The survey, published in the journal Monitor and led by researcher Dorela Beqaj, highlighted their pessimism not only about the shock caused by the pandemic but also about the government's easing policies, which are not having an effect on businesses.
The vast majority of businesses interviewed, about 80 percent of them, stated that they have not applied for sovereign loans because sovereign loans are not sufficient support in order to return to normalcy and they are not sure if they will be able to repay that credit, as the pandemic continues.
The Center for Economic Research has also found this distrust of businesses and citizens in government measures.
"Most Albanians have lost hope and are turning a blind eye to emigration to Western countries. There is a risk that with the overcoming of the pandemic, which is hoped to be from the beginning of next year, the country will face an even more intense emigration situation than it has occurred in the last 6-7 years. The deterioration of the social security system, the deterioration of tax collection, the resources needed to repay debts, and move forward, will make the economic situation even worse than it is today." says Mr. Preçi.
In parallel with sovereign guarantees, the government is also undertaking fiscal amnesty, and in the survey, over 70 percent of businesses said that fiscal amnesty will not help improve their economic situation.
They claim that businesses that are forgiven of outstanding liabilities increase unfair competition for businesses that have paid their debts regularly.
Even the fact that this fiscal amnesty is being accompanied by criminal amnesty, they claim this harms the free competition because it can legalize the money of criminal activities and deepen inequality in the market for businesses.
Experts add to the obstacles of this crisis the fact that next year there are elections and the budget is expected to be an electoral budget with increased promises and expenditures.
But on the other hand, the government is persistently defending old and new PPPs, and is making plans to allocate investment funds as if it were a normal year as if the country is not in the middle of a pandemic and earthquake devastation.