The Albanian government plans to establish itself as a leader in digital innovation with the announcement of a national digital ID system expected to launch by early 2026, meanwhile the Prime Minister plans to have a cashless society by 2030.
Edi Rama, [1] the Albanian Prime Minister and member of the World Economic Forum highlighted the upcoming launch of the nation's digital ID system as a key element in its digital transformation during an event. He stated that the implementation of this system will establish [2] the country as a regional leader in efficient public service delivery and innovation, In his speech, Rama characterized the initiative as an important advancement for Albania in its pursuit of technological modernization, aiming to enhance convenience for citizens, the government, and the national economy. He indicated that this objective is projected to be realized by 2026, aligning with a similar goal established by the European Union.
Edi Rama said, “For some time now, we have been committed with great desire, but also with ambition, to creating digital identity. It is the basis of another great breakthrough and a projection into the future thanks to technology. To my knowledge, the relationship between citizens and the state, as well as our economy, will be available to the public next year. It is also a declared objective of the EU until 2027.” In a press release [3] titled Digital Identity: A Key Step Toward Albania’s Digital Transformation, Rama also mentions plans for Smart Cities, “To conclude, since the protagonist of the day is the Ministry of Internal Affairs, I want to emphasize that we are moving swiftly with the launch of the major ‘Smart City’ project. This project will help us digitize, through intelligent cameras, the entire traffic monitoring system in our cities, starting with Tirana.”
IdentiTek, [4] a government administration company and AlbTrace [5] a company specialising in financial solutions are currently collaborating with the government to carry out digital transformation projects. Additionally, [6] IdentiTek secured a contract in 2023 to provide biometric passports and national ID cards for Albania. Prior to announcing the launch of their digital ID, the Albanian government [7] is also planning to have a society without cash by 2030 the same [8] year it plans to join the EU. Annie McNamee, [9] a contributor for Time Out London said in her column, “Cash is king. Well, it used to be. Few things have changed the way money works in society as much as the humble debit/credit card. Since its introduction to society in the 1960s, it has become the sole way many of us access our money and pay for things, pushing actual cash further and further to the sidelines. Nowadays, it’s more uncommon for a business to not take cash than card, and some people haven’t touched paper money in years.” said McNamee, “Now, Albania wants to take our card-first world to a new level and become entirely cashless by 2030. In just five years, Prime Minister Edi Rama hopes that all monetary transactions in the nation will be conducted digitally, as part of a wider vision he has to improve the country’s economy and bring it into the EU, called Albania 2030.”
However, Besmir Semanaj, [10] a cybersecurity expert, told the DW that he views these plans as [11] not only unrealistic but also potentially hazardous. “Even the most advanced countries in Europe, such as Sweden or Norway, are reassessing the need to keep a minimum of cash in circulation, precisely for reasons of security and readiness in emergencies or cyberattacks. So, while the most digitalized nations are maintaining offline forecasts, Albania says it is planning to become 100% digital in less than 10 years, without first building basic cyber protection capacities. An economy that is totally dependent on digital systems and does not have an alternative is an unprotected and exposed economy that would be totally paralyzed by a virus or blackout,” said Semanaj.