AAB’s End-of-Year Evening 2025
On December 16, 2025, AAB welcomed senior executives and high-level representatives of Albania’s banking and financial sector to the End-of-Year Evening 2025, a traditional event that recognizes cooperation, the year’s achievements, and the challenges awaiting the sector in the future. The festive evening was attended by prominent figures of the financial system, including the Governor of the Bank of Albania, Mr. Gent Sejko; Ms. Adela Xhemali, Executive General Director of the Financial Supervisory Authority; Mr. Martin Blushi, Deputy General Director of the Deposit Insurance Agency; as well as other representatives, including from the Bank of Albania Ms. Luljeta Minxhozi, First Deputy Governor, and Ms. Natasha Ahmetaj, Second Deputy Governor; chief executive officers of second-tier banks and chairs of AAB’s technical committees.
The President of AAB, Mr. Bledar Shella, highlighted the positive performance of the banking sector throughout 2025 and emphasized the importance of significant investments in digitalization projects and strategic initiatives, including the simultaneous integration of 11 commercial banks into SEPA, the advancement of sector-wide digitalization, and the provision of fast payments through the instant payment system.
Throughout the year, AAB played a key role in addressing strategic issues for the industry, including support for the country’s application to SEPA, cooperation with the World Bank on drafting the Credit Bureau law, and an intensive campaign to strengthen the image of the banking sector. The Association continues to be an active stakeholder in legislative and regulatory processes, contributing expertise and contemporary standards.
In his address, the Governor of the Bank of Albania commended the contribution of banks to supporting the private sector and the country’s economic growth. He underlined that the legal and regulatory framework of the banking sector will be fully aligned with European Union standards over the next two years, stressing the importance of cooperation within the banking industry to ensure the proper implementation of changes and the swift realization of benefits.
Mr. Sejko also announced that in 2026 the sector will undergo an FSAP assessment by the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, a process that will provide an international certification of the quality of the legal framework and supervisory practices, identify gaps, and guide the necessary improvements. He added that future challenges include the expansion of high-quality, transparent, and diversified banking services, investments in technological innovation and digitalization, and the establishment of higher standards of cybersecurity protection.
The evening was held in a festive atmosphere.
