PRESS RELEASE
Official Visit of the First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Albania, Ms Holta Zaçaj, to the Bank of Italy

The First Deputy Governor of the Bank of Albania, Ms Holta Zaçaj, paid an official visit to the Bank of Italy, within the framework of the ongoing cooperation between the two central banks.

During the visit, Ms Zaçaj was received by the Deputy Governor of the Bank of Italy, Ms Chiara Scotti. The meeting, the interlocutors commended the strong relations and cooperation between the Bank of Albania and the Bank of Italy, particularly in the field of payment systems.

The Deputy Governor thanked the Bank of Italy for its longstanding support to the Bank of Albania over the years, through technical assistance, the exchange of expertise and the implementation of joint projects.

The discussions focused on the progress of the TIPS Clone project, as an important step towards the modernisation of Albania’s payment infrastructure and its alignment with European standards. The parties exchanged information on the progress achieved so far, as well as on the technical and operational aspects related to the next stages of the project’s implementation.

TIPS Clone is a strategic project aimed at establishing a national instant payments platform fully compliant with European standards. The project will enable real-time payments, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, thereby accelerating transactions for both businesses and citizens, while also creating opportunities for the development of innovative financial products. In this context, the support provided by the Bank of Italy for the implementation of the project was highly appreciated, given that the project constitutes a key pillar of the ‘’Cashless Albania” initiative and is built on European best practices.

The interlocutors also highlighted the importance of coordination and joint commitment, both for the successful implementation of the TIPS Clone system and for the completion of the necessary investments and preparations by market participants.

The parties further reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening cooperation between the two central banks, both in the field of payment systems and in other areas of mutual interest. In this regard, the parties highlighted the importance of continuing the exchange of experience and technical expertise in support of institutional modernisation and European integration.