TIRANA, Feb. 18 (Xinhua) -- Over 40,000 newborns in Albania have benefited from the baby bonus offered to parents at all maternity hospitals under the government's social program, Minister of Health and Social Protection Ogerta Manastirliu said here on Tuesday.
On a Facebook post, the minister said the Albanian government continues to support every child that comes to life through the social protection program.
In a video posted by the minister, a mother who had just given birth said she had received 80,000 Albanian lek (ALL) (around 712 U.S. dollars) after giving birth to her second child.
"I am very happy about the bonus. I received 40,000 ALL as a first bonus when I gave birth to a baby girl and 80,000 ALL for my second child," she said, calling this program a very good initiative to help Albanian families.
According to Manastirliu, a total of 2,519 children born in non-public hospitals have received the bonus. The bonus was awarded as well to 11,057 children born abroad, but registered in Albania.
Due to a low birth rate, the Albanian government unveiled in September 2018 a new social reform program, which entered into force on Jan. 1, 2019, aiming to encourage Albanian parents to have more children through a sharp increase in baby bonuses.
Under the new program, there is a reward for the birth of every child, starting from 40,000 ALL for the first child to 120,000 ALL for the third child. (1 euro = 122.18 Albanian lek)
