The National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia’s Governor Trajko Slaveski met Nicole Varnes, Chargé d’Affaires at the US Embassy in Skopje, to exchange views on economic trends, the central bank’s institutional development and reforms aimed at supporting economic growth and European integration. The discussion highlighted the National Bank’s focus on building institutional capacity, particularly through payment system modernisation, alongside its priority of maintaining macroeconomic and financial stability. Slaveski pointed to the country’s accession to the Single Euro Payments Area as enabling faster, more efficient and lower-cost euro payments for citizens and companies ahead of full European Union membership. He also described the TIPS clone, developed with support from the European Central Bank, as formalising the start of a 24/7 instant payments system designed to process most transactions within seconds, simplify payment initiation and improve the security, speed and cost of payments while supporting regional connectivity with Western Balkan countries and the European payment area. The meeting also confirmed readiness to deepen cooperation and exchange experience in areas of mutual interest.
National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia 2026-02-12
National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia reviews payment system modernisation and SEPA accession with US Embassy
Governor Trajko Slaveski of the National Bank of the Republic of North Macedonia met with Nicole Varnes from the US Embassy to discuss economic trends and institutional reforms. Key topics included the bank's focus on payment system modernization and the country's accession to the Single Euro Payments Area, enhancing euro payment efficiency. The meeting also confirmed a commitment to deepen cooperation and share experiences in areas of mutual interest.