The Bank of Albania and the EBRD discussed potential cooperation on the central bank’s financing program for micro and small businesses, with the EBRD ready to explore implementation support. They also addressed EU regulatory alignment, deposit insurance capacity and financing for women led enterprises. Governor Gent Sejko called for continued credit growth without weakening loan quality or risk management.
The Bank of Albania published an account of Governor Gent Sejko’s meeting with European Bank for Reconstruction and Development Managing Director for Financial Institutions Francis Malige, focused on potential cooperation in financing micro and small businesses and aligning Albania’s banking framework with European Union standards. The EBRD expressed readiness to support the central bank’s business financing program and explore practical forms of cooperation in its implementation, extending the Bank of Albania’s ongoing efforts to improve smaller firms’ access to credit.
The discussions also covered the equivalence of Albania’s banking regulation and supervision with the EU framework, support for the Deposit Insurance Agency and implementation of the We Finance Code to expand financing for women led enterprises. Sejko described the banking sector as well capitalized, liquid and stable, while stressing that further credit growth should preserve portfolio quality and appropriate risk management standards.
The Bank of Albania reviewed private-sector credit growth of 14.3% in the first half of 2026 and urged banks to preserve sound lending and risk management standards. Governor Gent Sejko said housing lending limits were having the intended effect and called for wider use of the ALL 25 billion MSME Financing Program, under which about ALL 2.2…
The Bank of Albania and the EBRD discussed potential cooperation on financing for micro and small enterprises, with the EBRD ready to explore implementation support. They also addressed EU regulatory alignment, deposit insurance capacity and financing for women-led businesses. Governor Gent Sejko called for credit growth that preserves loan…
Bank of Albania Governor Gent Sejko highlighted longer financing terms and a higher maximum financing amount under the Double Your Enterprise program. The program offers low interest rates and a sovereign guarantee covering up to 70% of collateral, and Sejko called on banks to support its implementation.