FLASH
Shkruar nga Pamfleti
The debate began after Rama's statement about 8.5 billion euros in foreign exchange inflows into the economy. Beqiraj calls the figure unjustified by official data, while Ibrahimaj speaks of "arithmetic". The former deputy minister calls for a public debate.
A strong public debate has taken place between former Deputy Minister of Finance, Irena Beqiraj, and Minister of State for Entrepreneurship and Business Climate, Delina Ibrahimaj, regarding the reasons for the strengthening of the lek and the figures used by Prime Minister Edi Rama for foreign exchange inflows into the Albanian economy.
The spark of the clash was a status by Irena Beqiraj, who questioned the prime minister's statement that 8.5 billion euros have entered Albania from tourism and foreign investments, arguing that according to official data from the Bank of Albania, the real additional flow is significantly lower.
Beqiraj calculates that net income from tourism, foreign investments and remittances amounts to around 4.6 billion euros, while ironically stating that the difference of nearly 4 billion euros can only be explained if money coming from the informal economy or illegal activities is included.
Her statement brought the reaction of Minister Delina Ibrahimaj, who opposed the former deputy minister's calculations, arguing that the figure of 8.5 billion euros is the result of collecting gross income from tourism, foreign investments and remittances, while accusing Beqiraj of confusing gross with net indicators.
But the debate did not end there.
In a second reaction, Irena Beqiraj responded to the minister in even stronger tones, recounting an episode from the time she was appointed to head Customs and then as Deputy Minister of Finance. She writes that she has no personal grudge against Ibrahimaj, but accuses him of defending a political narrative that contradicts economic analysis.
Beqiraj says that the minister has the necessary knowledge in macroeconomics, but that she is forced to publicly defend the government's position. At the end of the reaction, she calls on Delina Ibrahimaj for a public televised debate, where they will discuss the strengthening of the lek, foreign investments, productivity, money supply, pensions, the budget and other macroeconomic indicators.
Ah Delina si ka mundesi :(