PRESS RELEASE
Governor Sejko receives journalists, experts, and media executives at the end-of year event “Governor’s Award for the Best Diploma Thesis 2025”

On 23 December 2025, the Governor of the Bank of Albania, Mr Gent Sejko, received renowned publicists, political and economic experts, journalists, and representatives of Albania’s print and electronic media.

This meeting, now a well-established tradition of institutional dialogue, served both as a platform to reflect on the economic and financial developments of the year drawing to a close and to acknowledge the role of the media in informing the public and fostering confidence in public institutions.

In his address, Governor Sejko highlighted the importance of clear, accurate, and professional communication in an increasingly complex environment, noting that collaboration with the media is essential for ensuring transparency and enhancing public understanding of the central bank’s policies. “Reliable and professional communication is a cornerstone for building public confidence and for the effective functioning of a modern central bank.”, said the Governor, emphasizing the indispensable role of the media in explaining monetary and financial decision-making.

The Governor also underlined the performance of the Albanian economy in 2025, emphasizing that it has continued to exhibit stable growth, a resilient labour market, and low inflation, despite an uncertain external environment. In this context, the Bank of Albania’s monetary policy stance has been prudent and stability-oriented, seeking to strike an appropriate balance between maintaining price stability and supporting sustainable economic growth. “Our decisions have a direct impact on citizens and businesses. Therefore, transparency and explanation of these decisions are a continuous priority for the Bank of Albania.”, stated the Governor.

In this context, Mr Sejko referred to the centennial of the Bank of Albania’s founding, highlighting this anniversary as a historic milestone for the institution and an opportunity to reflect on the role of the central bank in state-building, safeguarding financial stability, and strengthening public confidence. The Governor emphasized that this anniversary has also served as a platform for communication and transparency with the public, intertwining the institution’s heritage with the challenges and priorities of the future.

Special attention was given to the role of the media in combating financial disinformation, with the Governor describing professional media as a key partner in promoting economic and financial literacy in Albania. He underlined that open and constructive dialogue with journalists and experts contributes to strengthening institutional accountability and credibility, which are crucial elements for sustainable economic stability.

A special part of the event was dedicated to announcing the three winners of the “Governor’s Award for the Best Diploma Thesis 2025”, as a testament to the Bank of Albania’s commitment to promoting scientific research and academic excellence. This year, 38 students submitted their undergraduate and master’s theses, addressing topics of particular relevance for economic and financial policy making in Albania.

The winners of the Governor’s Award for 2025 are as follows:

• The first prize was awarded to Ms Migena Musli, a student at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management, for her master’s thesis on: “The Current Road to SEPA Assessing Compliance Challenges and Economic Impact in Albania”. The study assesses the economic benefits of integration into SEPA, the regulatory and operational challenges, and the compliance of payment systems in Albania with European standards, while providing concrete recommendations to accelerate this process.
• The second prize was awarded to Ms Eva Billa, a student at the Faculty of Economics, University of Tirana, for thesis on: “Monetary Policy Effects on Work-Related Income in Albania”. The thesis assesses the impact of monetary policy on work-related income over the period 2014–2024 and contributes to a better understanding of the monetary policy transmission mechanism in the labour market.
• The third prize was awarded to Ms Eris Hoti, a student at King’s College London, MSc Financial Policy & Regulation, for the thesis on: “Bank Size and Competition in Albania: Evidence from the Panzar and Rosse Model”. The thesis analyses competitiveness in the Albanian banking sector and highlights the differences in competitive approaches by banks of varied sizes.

In conclusion, the Governor congratulated the winners and all participants on the high quality of their work, encouraging them to maintain an ongoing relationship with the Bank of Albania and to contribute to the future, with knowledge and professionalism, to the economic and financial development of the country.