PRESS RELEASE
Second Deputy Governor Ahmetaj at the high-level meeting “The Annual Economic and Financial Dialogue between the EU and Regional Partners’’

The Second Deputy Governor of the Bank of Albania, Ms Natasha Ahmetaj, participated in the high-level meeting ‘’The Annual Economic and Financial Dialogue between the EU and Regional Partners’’, held on 5 May 2026 in Brussels.

The ministerial dialogue was held in the framework of the Economic and Financial Affairs Council (ECOFIN) meeting and was organised by the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. The meeting brought together high-level representatives from European Union Member States and regional partners, as well as representatives of the European Commission and the European Central Bank.

Second Deputy Governor Ahmetaj shared her assessments on the current economic and financial developments, as well as on the implications of today’s geopolitical environment for small and open economies, including Albania. She emphasized that geopolitical developments, particularly ongoing conflicts, remain a significant source of risk to macroeconomic stability, mainly through their impact on energy prices and inflation expectations.

Ms Ahmetaj highlighted that the Albanian economy continues to have stable macroeconomic indicators, referring to contained inflation and a sound banking sector as key factors against external shocks.  She also noted the importance of pursuing flexible policies, as well as the need for close international coordination to minimise uncertainties and enhance the effectiveness of economic policies.

Concluding, Ms Ahmetaj commended the importance of this dialogue as a valuable platform for the exchange of experiences and for strengthening cooperation between the European Union and regional partners, in support of preserving economic and financial stability.