Bank of Albania deepens bilateral cooperation with the National Bank of Austria during Governor Kocher's first official visit

The Bank of Albania said National Bank of Austria Governor Martin Kocher paid his first official visit to Albania as the two central banks stepped up institutional cooperation, particularly in the context of Albania's European integration process. Meetings at the Bank of Albania focused on recent economic and financial developments, the banking sector, regional cooperation, and the harmonisation of Albania's regulatory and supervisory framework with European Union standards. The visit also included a roundtable with banking sector representatives on financial market developments, banking supervision and sector modernisation. In the discussions, Governor Gent Sejko pointed to Austrian investment and Austrian financial institutions' role in Albania, while describing Albania's economy as supported by consumption, investment, tourism and a sound banking sector, with inflation close to target, private sector credit expanding and the non-performing loan ratio at historically low levels. Governor Kocher highlighted geopolitical risks, real estate vulnerabilities, technological change and cybersecurity, called for deeper European capital markets, and reiterated Austria's support for Albania's path toward closer integration with European institutions. During the visit he also met Prime Minister Edi Rama to discuss bilateral economic relations and prospects for enhanced financial cooperation.