TIRANA, December 24 /ATA/ Minister of Economy and Innovation Delina Ibrahimaj stated today that the Albanian Development Bank is now a legal reality and is preparing to start its activity in 2026.

At a press conference held today on economic indicators, Minister Ibrahimaj said that the law establishing the Development Bank was approved in the first half of last year, materializing an early idea for building of a financial institution dedicated to support the private sector and investments in the country.

The bank has been registered and is being developed in cooperation with Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, an Italian institution with over 100 years of tradition in the financial field.

The minister explained that the Development Bank is conceived as a wholesale institution and is not intended to provide direct loans to individuals, except in special cases in cooperation with existing banks, forming a conglomerate of banks for the financing of major projects.

Cassa Depositi e Prestiti will supervise its structure which will also include cooperation with international institutions, including the French Investment Bank, mainly in regard to risk monitoring.

Minister Ibrahimaj underlined that the bank’s governance structure is designed to guarantee independence from political influence and to ensure professional decision-making, focusing on economic development and the sustainability of the institution.

“The Development Bank will support the modernization of the Albanian private sector and will enable it to have access to finance at reduced costs, contributing to the sustainable economic development of the country,” the minister said.

The Albanian Development Bank will function as a joint stock company, with the Ministry of Finance as the main shareholder and an initial capital of 10 billion lekë. /a.f/p.s./