EBRD publishes the report: Only in Albania has the satisfaction to live not increased, even lower than in 2006

In all countries of Southeast Europe and the Western Balkans, satisfaction with living has increased significantly compared to 2016, reflecting the improvement of incomes.

But this did not happen in Albania. Although the country has had among the highest economic growth in the region, the pleasure of living has not changed. Life satisfaction is even lower than in 2066. The information was made known by the latest transition report of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

"Satisfaction scores have increased over time in most economies. One region that has made significant progress since 2016 is Southeast Europe (which includes both (i) the European Union (EU) member states Bulgaria and Romania, and (ii) the Western Balkans), with almost all countries that mark a significant increase in satisfaction (the only exception is Albania, where this result has remained more or less unchanged). Meanwhile, the percentage of satisfied people in Greece has doubled since 2016, reflecting dramatic improvements in the country's economic situation over the past six or seven years," the report said.

According to the chart that accompanies the report, the level of life satisfaction of Albanians is the same as in 2016, while it is also lower than in 2006, when the measurement of this index began.

Even in 2006, Albania was one of the countries with the highest satisfaction of living in the EBRD region. While in 2022, the country ranks among the last in the EBRD region, together with North Macedonia, Hungary, Turkey, Lithuania. However, in North Macedonia, for example, the satisfaction of living is the highest historically in 2022, when in 2006 it was among the lowest in the region.

Kosovo is one of the most optimistic countries in the EBRD region, third after Slovenia and Estonia from European countries, with a significant increase compared to previous reports. Serbia ranks after the citizens of Kosovo, followed by Bosnia and Herzegovina.

According to the EBRD Report, the average increase in life satisfaction in the region “probably reflects rising incomes, favorable developments in labor markets (including a shift to more satisfying and higher-skilled jobs) and improvements in health.

Notably, people's assessments of their health have improved significantly over time, with such assessments including not only physical aspects but also mental health. The survey results show that mental distress is associated with lower satisfaction and tends to be more prevalent in poorer countries and among individuals who are financially insecure."

Apparently, all these elements that influenced the improvement of the satisfaction of living in the region, have not improved in Albania (Monitor's note).

The increase in happiness over time has been broad rather than concentrated in certain groups. In all age groups, life satisfaction levels are, on average, significantly higher than in 2006, and are higher than in 2010 and 2016.

For both sexes, happiness declines steadily with age, but improves again in later years. Thus, the data conform to the U-shaped pattern found in most of the happiness literature, although the turning point comes slightly later than usual in the EBRD regions. Levels of life satisfaction have also steadily increased in both urban and rural areas./Monitor