Albania has joined an international discussion on the future of pension systems. Tirana hosted a two-day Technical Seminar of the International Social Security Association’s European Network (ISSA European Network – IEN).

The seminar focused on “Strengthening Services in Pension Schemes – Meeting the Needs of Older Persons.” Representatives and social security experts from several European countries attended. They came from the Netherlands, Germany, Sweden, Slovakia, Greece, Poland, Czechia and Türkiye, among others.

ISSA Secretary General Marcelo Abi-Ramia Caetano attended the event. ISSA European Network President Yunus Elitaş also took part. Senior officials and experts joined them.

Minister of Economy and Innovation Delina Ibrahimaj thanked ISSA for choosing Tirana. She said the exchange of international experience is important for Albania. The country is currently working on a new pension reform.

Ibrahimaj said the seminar offered useful ideas and discussions. She added that Albania is now working to finalize the reform’s details.

“We have entered an important stage of this work. We need to finalize the remaining details of the reform. Therefore, it is important for us to hear about your experiences and share ours,” Ibrahimaj said.

Ibrahimaj also highlighted the challenges facing social security systems. She pointed to demographic, social and economic changes. She said these challenges require sustainable and transparent systems.

“We are dealing with an era of major challenges. These include demographic, social and economic challenges. We must create sustainable systems that can stand the test of time. They must also remain transparent and easy to understand,” she said.

The seminar focused on improving pension services through digitalization and automation. Experts discussed new technologies, including artificial intelligence. They also discussed online pension calculators and better ways to inform citizens about their rights and benefits.

Meanwhile, participants stressed the importance of human assistance. Some people still need direct support. Digital services must therefore work alongside human assistance.

The program also covered retirement planning. Experts discussed services for self-employed people and agricultural workers. They also examined pension and insurance records involving more than one country.

Albania took part through officials and experts from the Social Security Institute and the Ministry of Economy and Innovation.

The seminar provided a forum for European social security institutions to exchange experience. It also focused on new practices to modernize pension services.

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