TIRANA, June 3 – Albania’s economy continues to show resilience and positive development prospects. Growth is supported by higher economic activity, an improving labour market, and favourable financial conditions. The assessment comes from an International Monetary Fund mission led by Diego Cerdeiro, during a visit to Albania from 28 May to 2 June 2026. Meanwhile, the IMF team held meetings with officials and experts at the Bank of Albania. The mission also held a concluding meeting with Governor Gent Sejko. Discussions focused on macroeconomic developments, monetary policy, financial stability, and the outlook for the Albanian economy. Governor Sejko said Albania’s economy has maintained positive performance despite external challenges. He said the country has recorded growth in employment and wages. In addition, he noted improvements in key indicators, including inflation, public and external debt, non-performing loans, and banking sector stability.
At the same time, the IMF mission said the Albanian economy remains resilient to external shocks and the outlook remains broadly favourable. However, it stressed that global uncertainty and geopolitical tensions require continuous monitoring. The mission highlighted the impact of energy price increases on inflation and the importance of managing inflation expectations. It welcomed the analysis and forecasts of the Bank of Albania and described the monetary policy stance as appropriate and focused on price stability. Governor Sejko reaffirmed that the central bank will continue a cautious monetary policy based on updated economic data, aiming to keep inflation close to its medium-term target.
In addition, the IMF assessed Albania’s banking sector positively, citing strong capitalisation, high liquidity, solid loan portfolio quality, and stable performance. It also welcomed efforts to strengthen macroprudential tools and align regulation with European Union standards. Finally, discussions also covered long-term challenges, including demographics, productivity growth, and the impact of European Union integration on Albania’s economic outlook.
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