TIRANA, December 12 – The Assembly held a marathon plenary session yesterday.

It debated two interpellations and approved 12 draft laws and two decisions.

The session approved changes to tax procedures, value-added tax, income tax, local taxes, invoicing, fiscal peace, property revaluation, tax obligations, public-private partnerships, hunting, and nonprofit registration.

The 2026 budget law received 81 votes in favor and 16 against. Parliament accepted requests from seven committees to increase spending by 504.9 million Lekë (ALL) within budget limits. Fifty opposition amendments were rejected because they would have raised spending by 278.9 billion Lekë (ALL).

The Assembly also approved two decisions. Endrit Shabani was elected as Ombudsman with 85 votes in favor. It approved a change to Decision 104/2025 on establishing the Subcommittee for Public Sector Audit with 87 votes.

The session discussed the final OSCE-ODIHR report on the May 11, 2025, parliamentary elections. Majority MP Ervin Hoxha said the report did not delegitimize the elections and stressed that Albania made clear progress in electoral standards. Opposition MP Sali Berisha criticized the elections, calling them unfair and alleging state interference.

The plenary session concluded around 04:00.

/a.p./