For a week, the parliamentary committees of the Albanian Parliament have been intensively discussing the draft state budget for 2027. Institutions have begun their reports, while MPs are reviewing one of the most important documents for public finances and the country's economy.
But while the way in which billions of euros from Albanian taxes will be spent has been decided on the table, discussions in committees have also highlighted moments that raise serious questions about the preparation of some lawmakers to analyze and argue the budget figures.
Quite a few Socialist Party deputies have been content with reading the reports prepared in advance, without looking up from the paper and, in some cases, getting confused even while reading. Beyond the formal presentations, what is striking is the lack of detailed argumentation for the issues they discuss.
One of the cases is that of the MP from Vlora, Briseida Çakërri, who during the discussion on the fiscal package had difficulty presenting her arguments, creating the impression that she was not sufficiently familiar with the material she was reading.
Another moment was recorded in the Committee on Human Rights and Public Media, where Socialist MP Iris Luarasi spoke about a budget of 10 million euros. “There has never been a budget that goes to such a figure,” she said, confusing millions with billions. In fact, the state budget draft for 2027 is about 10 billion euros, a difference that cannot go unnoticed in a parliamentary discussion on the country's finances.
Meanwhile, Socialist MP Zegjine Çaushi, a member of the Laws Committee, has drawn attention to another contrast: while she does not stand out for her interventions in parliamentary discussions, there is no shortage of posts on social networks with the new look, accompanied by descriptions of the work and discussions in the committees.
These situations show that contribution to the party is not a guarantee for preparation in the Assembly and that even the Political Academy of the Socialist Party is not enough to fill the gaps. Citizens have the right to demand deputies who understand the budget, examine it and give an account for their vote. Because in the end, the bill for decisions made without understanding what is being voted on, is paid by Albanians.
