The Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo published a readout of Governor Ahmet Ismaili’s meeting with European Central Bank (ECB) President Christine Lagarde on the margins of the 2025 IMF and World Bank Spring Meetings, focusing on financial-sector reforms and ongoing central bank cooperation. The discussion covered recent macroeconomic developments, structural reform progress under the central bank’s strategic plan and ECB support mechanisms, including the continuation of the REPO liquidity line. The governor also updated the ECB on progress towards concluding Kosovo’s pre-application process for membership of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and on a fast payments system project supported by the ECB, for which a letter of intent was signed with the Bank of Italy in Rome on 10 January alongside several Western Balkan jurisdictions. Further topics included work on a draft legal framework to combat counterfeiting that would establish a National Anti-Counterfeiting Centre within the central bank and set competent authorities, alongside envisaged cooperation with the ECB in this field and adoption of the Geneva Convention for the Suppression of Counterfeiting Currency. The readout also noted ongoing alignment of banking regulation with EU rules as part of preparations for an equivalence process with the European Banking Authority, including implementation of the Supervisory Review and Evaluation Process methodology, and development of a cybersecurity regulatory framework with IMF technical assistance in line with the EU’s digital operational resilience regime. The central bank highlighted continued workstreams on SEPA, SREP implementation, the fast payments initiative and the counterfeiting framework, and discussed the possibility of participating in supervisory colleges under its memorandum of cooperation with the ECB.
Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo 2025-04-23
Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo meets European Central Bank President Lagarde on SEPA progress and continued REPO liquidity line
The Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo reported on Governor Ahmet Ismaili’s meeting with ECB President Christine Lagarde, focusing on financial-sector reforms and central bank cooperation. Key topics included Kosovo's progress towards SEPA membership, a fast payments system project, and a draft legal framework to combat counterfeiting. Discussions also covered alignment with EU banking regulations, cybersecurity framework development, and potential participation in supervisory colleges under ECB cooperation.