PRESS RELEASE
South East European Studies at Oxford Hosts Conference to Launch Book by Mr. Ardian Fullani, Bank of Albania Governor, entitled ‘Growth in Albania and South East Europe: The Way Ahead’

On 7 March 2013, South East European Studies at Oxford (SEESOX) hosted a conference to launch Governor Fullani's book entitled Growth in Albania and South East Europe: The Way Ahead'. This book is a collection of papers written by Governor Fullani during the last five years, which elaborate extensively on Albania and South East Europe's growth and development. Through an analysis of developments in the Albanian economy in the last 20 years, it seeks to produce valuable generalisations for the future. This analysis elaborates on the dynamics and consequences arising from the integration process among countries in the region and in the European Union, and allows for the identification of growth sources in the future on a macro and microeconomic level.

The book elaborates extensively on the main concerns facing the Albanian economy, and commodity and financial markets. It places particular emphasis on the identification of competitive advantages and need for regional cooperation as two key elements that will release ample sources of growth both for Albania and South East Europe.

The conference was attended by professors and students of the University of Oxford, academics from London School of Economics, representatives of other universities in London and Albania, senior-level officials from central banks in the region, representatives of the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and representatives of the business community and financial system in the region, and the Bank of Albania. The launching ceremony was also attended by Professor Dhori Kule, Rector of Tirana University and Member of Bank of Albania's Supervisory Council, and representatives of the Albanian Embassy in London.

The ceremony was opened by Othon Anastasakis, Director of the European Studies Centre at the University of Oxford. In his brief address, Mr. Anastasakis noted that This book elaborates on the concepts of growth, crisis and recovery, European integration and particularly regional cooperation amongst the Balkan countries.' Governor Fullani provided an extensive description of the ideas elaborated in the book and main conclusions. In the second session of the ceremony, Governor Fullani exchanged opinions and ideas with the guests, and answered questions forwarded by attendees on book matters. This book is published in English and may be electronically accessed at SEESOX official website: http://www.sant.ox.ac.uk/seesox/.

In the framework of the cooperation between the Bank of Albania and the University of Oxford, on 7 March 2013, Mr. Ardian Fullani, Governor of the Bank of Albania, was received by Professor Margaret MacMillan, Warden of St Antony's College at Oxford University. Professor MacMillan is the author and winner of many international awards for her history-themed books on the British Empire and international relations in the early 20th century. Her book entitled Paris 1919: Six Months that Changed the World', a New York Times Editor's Choice in 2002, has been published also in Albanian. Governor Fullani and Professor MacMillan discussed matters of cooperation between the two institutions and its further development in the future. They considered this cooperation as beneficial to Albania and across the entire South East European region. They praised the efforts of both institutions in the fields of scientific research and analysis of topics related to Albania and the region's political economy. Professor MacMillan commended Governor Fullani for his contribution to strengthening and extending this Oxford University project across the South East European region.

A scientific conference was held on 8 March as a follow-up of the launching ceremony of Governor Fullani's book entitled Growth in Albania and South East Europe: The Way Ahead'. This scientific conference addressed the book's main concerns and conclusions from an economic, political and diplomatic viewpoint. Topics of economic development and cooperation, and European integration of South East European countries were discussed in individual sessions by professors of economics and political science at the University of Oxford, University College London, University of Belgrade, European Council representatives for international relations, and representatives of central banks and financial institutions in the region.