The National Bank of Moldova announced that its governor, Anca Dragu, received a leadership award recognising her contribution to the Republic of Moldova’s integration into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA), following Moldova’s acceptance into SEPA. The bank highlighted that this step enables Moldovan citizens and companies to make euro transfers under conditions similar to those in the European Union, with faster execution, greater security and lower costs. The award was presented at the Future Economy Gala in Bucharest by Ramona Chiriac, head of the European Union representation in Bucharest. In remarks linked to the event, Dragu described SEPA accession as more than a technical achievement and pointed to the Moldovan banking sector’s stability, capitalisation and ongoing alignment with European standards, alongside digital transformation including instant payments through the MIA system, which she said is already used by one in three banked people in Moldova. The gala also marked the launch of the second edition of “Future Economy – Women & Men CEOs”, featuring an extended interview with Dragu covering the National Bank of Moldova’s EU accession priorities, the impact of the decision to adopt the euro as a reference currency, and the bank’s role in three accession negotiation chapters spanning free movement of capital, financial services, and economic and monetary policy.