The first from the end... Albania's unwanted "victories"

In a continent that measures progress with statistics, rankings seem to have become our new national passion.

Not to see themselves at the top — this is a luxury for countries that produce technology, export knowledge, or guarantee a quality life for their citizens — but to win the golden trophy of countries that are always mentioned at the bottom of the list.

If there were a championship for countries that perform poorly in style, Albania would be on the podium.

Let's start with food. According to Eurostat data, for the first time in 2024, food prices in Albania are more expensive than in Europe.

Yes, more expensive than in Greece, Croatia, or Poland, countries that not only have higher wages, but also organized agricultural sectors subsidized by sustainable policies.

Meanwhile, in our country, tomatoes come to the consumer at the price of an hour of work – if there is work – and food is being transformed from a basic necessity into a luxury good.

Moving on to income. According to Eurostat, Albania remains last in Europe for per capita income, even in 2024.

This is a ranking that seems to no longer bother us. Not for lack of desire, but because we have become accustomed to relativizing poverty with the phrase "it is important to have health," even when we have public healthcare that sometimes doesn't even have syringes.

What about water quality? The EEA (European Environment Agency) gave us another medal: Albania is last in Europe for beach water quality, with only 16% classified as "very good".

And this, while we have built an entire myth about the “crystal clear sea” and the “Albanian paradise” that eagerly awaits tourists. With this logic, perhaps polluted waters will be declared a national asset, not to be criticized, but conserved, as part of our unique identity.

All these rankings do not find us unprepared. Because, according to many strategies and speeches, we have a visionary plan to invest in technology, innovation, and the knowledge economy.

But surprisingly, while the EU moves towards green energy and Artificial Intelligence, foreign investment in Albania continues to go into real estate: apartments without residents, villas on hills without roads, and seaside resorts with polluted water.

As developers say: "What do we need quality of life for when we have 'certificates of ownership' and our property values ​​increase?"

Even the companies that are receiving strategic status are, for the most part, builders of real estate residences, with a small hotel in between, which will take a long time to build, or direct financiers of imports, without bringing any added value or knowledge to the economy.

The greatest irony lies precisely here: Albania aspires to integration into the European Union, but is moving at a pace of convergence that puts us first at the bottom.

We are the first for the departure of young people, the first for prices that are not even justified by the salary, the last for environmental protection and the quality of services.

If we continue with this development philosophy, where measurements are only true when we like them and the responsibility always lies with someone else, we will continue to be champions.

Undisputed. First from the bottom. Even in integration.

In short, Noli's poem "Anaës lumpenjve" will continue to be recited and express current events, while it should have long been enjoyed simply as a work of literary history./Monitor