PRESS RELEASE
Decisions of the Supervisory Council, 1 March 2023

On 1 March 2023, the Supervisory Council of the Bank of Albania reviewed and decided to:

• Approve the Annual Report of the Bank of Albania 2022

The annual report constitutes a legal obligation of the Bank of Albania in view of the accountability to the Assembly of the Republic of Albania and the communication with the financial system, the media and the public. It is the most important document, which transparently informs the Assembly on the decisions of the Supervisory Council and the activity of the Bank of Albania with a view to fulfilling its institutional, operational and development objectives.

The report, inter alia, reflects the following:

• overall macro-economic developments in Albania;
• monetary and foreign-currency related policy implemented by the Bank of Albania;
• developments in the banking system and potential risks facing financial stability;
• supervisory, licensing and regulatory activities;
• currency issue, payment system, foreign exchange reserve management, statistics, research, communication and financial education;
• human resources management;
• internal audit activity;
• medium-term objectives of the institution.

Following its presentation to the Assembly of the Republic of Albania, the Annual Report 2022 will be available on our website: http:/www.bankofalbania.org/.

• Approve amendments in the regulation “On consumer loans and mortgage loans”

On September 2021, the Bank of Albania approved some amendments in the regulation” On consumer loans and mortgage loans”, by introducing for the first time the maximum effective interest rate (maximum EIR) on consumer loans. The Bank of Albania, after monitoring market developments and the relevant reactions, for a one-year period since the first publication of the maximum EIR, with the aim to its better calibrating, and adapting to the market dynamics, has approved these amendments related to the application method for the maximum EIR on very small loans, as well as the addition of a new interval (of disbursed amount of consumer loans) on which the maximum EIR will be calculated.

The Supervisory Council was also informed on daily functional and operational activities of the Bank of Albania.