INSTAT reported that in the second quarter of 2025, 352 construction permits for new buildings were approved, marking a decrease of 0.6%, compared to the same period in 2024, where 354 permits were approved.
According to INSTAT, the total projected construction area in this quarter is 278,389 m², marking a decrease of 67.0%, compared to the second quarter of 2024 (844,137 m²). The approximate value of approved projects (which includes both buildings and engineering works) reached 18.4 billion lek, marking a decrease of 45.5%, compared to a year earlier (33.7 billion lek).
The Durrës region holds the main weight with 156 new building permits and a construction area of 129,617 m². Significant increases in the value of construction projects were recorded in the Durrës, Korçë and Shkodër regions.
However, INSTAT data does not reflect the real situation. The statistical institute itself explains that the publication of statistics on construction permits is currently based only on data provided by municipalities, which are the main authorities for issuing and reporting these permits.
However, VKM No. 408, dated 13.5.2015 “On the approval of the territorial development regulation”, as amended, stipulates that the process of approving construction permits also includes other responsible institutions, in addition to municipalities.
Since there is still no standardized and complete reporting from all these entities to INSTAT, the data published for the second quarter are based only on municipal sources. For this reason, the current publication cannot be fully compared with future periods, until all responsible institutions are included in a unified manner in the statistical reporting process.
In recent years, the National Territorial Council, which is the main institution that grants permits for large projects and multi-storey buildings, has granted numerous permits, both for skyscrapers in the capital and tourist resorts on the coast. This data seems to be kept “secret” and it will take time to understand the real situation with construction in the country.
In 2024, a record area of almost 2 million square meters was granted for construction permits in the capital alone, the largest in history for the capital. These permits take at least 1-2 years to be reflected in works on the ground.
Since 2018, when the new wave of construction began in the capital, over 10 million square meters of building permits have been issued. Meanwhile, other projects are expected to begin based on the latest permits issued by the National Territorial Council. /Monitor/
