BKT HOSTED ALBANIA ROUNDTABLE ‘’ALBANIAN EU ACCESSION: IS THE FINANCIAL SYSTEM READY?” IN THE FINANCIAL TIMES CENTRAL & EASTERN EUROPEAN FORUM
The Central & Eastern European Forum brought by Financial Times returned to Vienna this 13th and 14th, of January for its 31st anniversary, bringing together finance ministers, central bank governors, leading banks, corporates, and global investors to connect, exchange ideas, and shape the direction of funding and investment across the entire CEE region.
Within this prestigious international platform, Banka Kombëtare Tregtare hosted for the sixth time the Albania Roundtable, titled “Albanian EU Accession: Is the Financial System Ready?”, reaffirming its role as a key institutional voice for Albania on the international financial stage. Through this initiative, BKT acts as a vital bridge between Albania and global markets, supporting the country’s European integration agenda while fostering dialogue with international investors and institutions and positioning Albania as a credible and competitive investment destination.
The roundtable was hosted and moderated by Mr. Seyhan Pencablıgil, Chief Executive Officer and Board Member of BKT, and featured the participation of Mr. Gent Sejko, Governor of the Bank of Albania, Ms. Delina Ibrahimaj, Minister of Economy and Innovation and Ms. Adela Xhemali, Chief Executive Director of the Financial Supervisory Authority.
In his opening remarks, Mr. Pencablıgil emphasized that 2025 marked a turning point for Albania, describing it as the “Year of Integration”, a year in which Albania moved decisively from preparation to practical alignment with the European Union.
He underlined two milestones of strategic importance: the opening of all 33 EU acquis negotiation chapters and Albania’s official entry into the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) in October 2025. According to Mr. Pencablıgil, these developments demonstrate that Albania’s financial system is no longer only converging with Europe but is now operating within European financial infrastructure.
Governor Mr. Sejko presented the latest economic and financial developments in the country, emphasizing the importance of foreign direct investment in supporting economic growth. He also addressed developments in the Albanian banking sector, noting that financial indicators point to a sound banking system that is resilient to shocks and capable of contributing to the country’s economic development.
He underlined the Bank of Albania’s ongoing commitment to modernizing financial infrastructure as well as advancing the European integration agenda. Albania’s accession to the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) positions the country at the same functional level as the European payments market.
Ms. Ibrahimaj stressed the central role of the financial sector in Albania’s EU accession strategy, highlighting the government’s focus on digitalization, innovation, and productivity growth.
She outlined how Albania is actively implementing the EU Growth Plan for the Western Balkans, using it as both a financial and strategic instrument to accelerate convergence with the EU and attract high-value foreign direct investment, particularly in FinTech and innovation-driven sectors.
In her remarks, Ms. Xhemali highlighted the key importance of supervising the non-bank financial market in line with the European Union’s legal framework, as well as the need to enhance transparency standards and strengthen institutional trust.
She presented to the audience the three core components of the Solvency II framework, which include quantitative requirements related to capital adequacy and solvency, standards for corporate governance and risk management, as well as requirements for reporting, information disclosure, and transparency. The implementation of this framework is expected to bring increased responsibilities and requirements for both the supervisory authority and the entities operating in the insurance sector.
The transition to this new supervisory regime is planned to take place in several stages, including a preparatory phase, the adoption of the necessary legal and regulatory amendments, and its full implementation.
BKT is the largest bank in Albania, with total assets of around USD 8 billion on a consolidated banking group basis as of December 2025, holding 25% of the total assets of the Albanian banking system. It operates in Albania through 62 branches and agencies and serves more than 850,000 clients with innovative products and services. The BKT Group also includes Banka Kombëtare Tregtare Kosovë with 25 branches and the electronic money institution BKT Pay.
Thanks to its strong performance, BKT has been recognized over the years with numerous prestigious awards such as “Best Bank in Albania” from well-known national and international institutions, including The Banker, Global Finance, Euromoney, EMEA Finance, Finance Central Europe, and others. It has also received positive evaluations from reputable credit rating agencies such as S&P Global Ratings and JCR Eurasia Rating, as well as from correspondent banks like Deutsche Bank. The bank’s sole shareholder is Çalık Holding, founded in 1981 in Istanbul, which operates in various sectors including energy, construction, textiles, mining, and finance.