PRESS RELEASE
Bank of Albania meets and discusses with the Albanian Association of Banks

On 15 February 2017, the Bank of Albania (BoA) and the Executive Committee of the Albanian Association of Banks (AAB) had a discussion meeting at the premises of the Bank of Albania. The meeting was organised upon the initiative and was chaired by the Governor of the Bank of Albania, Mr Gent Sejko. The Second Deputy Governor, Mrs Natasha Ahmetaj, other senior officials from the Bank of Albania, the Chairman of AAB's Executive Committee and CEO of Alpha Bank Albania, Mr Periklis Drougkas, other members of this Committee, and Mr Spiro Brumbulli, Secretary General of AAB participated in this meeting. 

The purpose of the meeting was to intensify the dialogue and collaboration between BoA, AAB and commercial banks that conduct their activity in Albania, on issues related in particular to the security of conducting the banking activity, given the recent events that have occurred during the transportation of monetary values, as well as to discuss on the financial, crediting and operational activity of the banking system in Albania.

At the beginning of the meeting, all participants welcomed the identification of the robbers of monetary values and commended the intensive work of the Albanian State Police in this regard.

Furthermore, they discussed about fostering collaboration between the relevant institutions on reviewing the security measures in the banking activity and the transportation of monetary values, to supplement and improve them, in order to avoid the recurrence of such events in the future.

Participants, also discussed on enhancing the coordinated efforts and the institutional interaction in the framework of boosting lending to economy, aiming at accelerating the economic activity of Albania and increasing banks' contribution in this regard.

In the meeting, Governor Sejko addressed also the issue of non-performing loans, emphasising that the effects of legal amendments, the acquired experience of banks, the non-performing loans write off from banks' balance sheets and the restructuring of non-performing loans, will drive to a gradual and stable reduction of their level in 2017.

Special attention was paid to financial education with a view to raising the public awareness, and upholding the banking system's image, highlighting the impact of banks in the financial system and in the economy of the country.

In conclusion, the Albanian Association of Banks commended the Bank of Albania on this positive and productive meeting. AAB affirmed that it will continue to have a maximum collaboration with the Bank of Albania and central and local authorities for a sound and supportive banking sector to economic growth of Albania.