Dear representatives of business community in Albania,
Dear banking system executives,
First, I would like to thank you for your participation in this round table, held to discuss on the way and optimum instruments to face the common challenges ahead.
This meeting is being organised under extraordinary circumstances. The outbreak of Covid-19 pandemic and the prudential measures adopted to confine it, drove to a rapid drop of the demand for goods and services, in the domestic and foreign markets, and to a considerable contraction of output.
The challenges we are facing are serious, in terms of both size and complexity.
The Albanian economy is expected to undergo a strong drop of the economic activity during 2020, in those levels never being experienced during the last two decades. It will be accompanied by an increase of unemployment, fall of revenue, and financial difficulties to firms and households. In the microeconomic view, the fall of revenue, reduction of liquidity and worsening of solvency will test the financial stability of firms. In the macroeconomic view, the increase of private and public debt will test the stability of economic equilibriums of Albania. Last, the shock experienced by the real sector will not overcome without leaving traces in the financial market and in the indicators of the banking sector’s business, as well.
The dimensions and complexity of the crisis demand for a coherent and comprehensive response.
Absolutely, public authorities have the primary role to play in this regard. The fiscal, monetary and financial stimulus, are essential instruments to boost the aggregate demand, mitigate the liquidity problems and avoid the long-term consequences of the crisis.
Nevertheless, firms and banking sector should not consider themselves as passive consumers of the economic policies, but as exceptional actors in our efforts to resolve the crisis. The stimulus of public authorities could be neither effective nor potentially sufficient, without the adequate reaction of both firms and banking industry.
Dear guests,
Allow me to introduce briefly the reaction of public authorities, and further to share with you our vision on the challenges and role that the Albanian firms and banking sector should play.
1. Reaction by public authorities
In the face of the unprecedented health emergency, the focus of public policies – in Albania and globally- was the undertaking of severe social distancing measures. Naturally, these measures have hit the economic activity and have demanded for a comprehensive easing of fiscal, monetary and financial policies.
Fiscal policy – rightfully- has been given a primary role in facing the situation. This policy may provide a direct support to aggregate demand, through fiscal transfers, and an immediate and targeted improvement of liquidity to enterprises, through the postponing…
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