Business
Rama meets bankers at the Bank of Albania: 45 branches and 53 ATMs damaged, 85% of Tirana branches operating
Governor Sejko says deposits are not affected, while the tax authorities count about 90 businesses damaged in the protests, with initial losses of 18 million lek.
By ANN Newsroom · Newsroom
October 21, 2026, 12:03 · Updated 12:25 · 2 min read
In brief
- Prime Minister Edi Rama met on Wednesday with the heads of commercial banks at the Bank of Albania's headquarters.
- The Banking Association reported 45 damaged branches, 24 of them severely, and 53 ATMs out of service.
- Governor Gent Sejko said the banks are well capitalized and citizens' deposits are safe.
After days of violent protests in the capital, during which shop windows and ATMs were smashed, Prime Minister Edi Rama on Wednesday gathered the heads of commercial banks at the Bank of Albania building. The meeting focused on the functioning of the financial system and the damage caused.
Tallying the damage
Bledi Shella, chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Albanian Association of Banks, said 45 bank branches had been damaged, 24 of them more severely, along with 53 ATMs. According to him, about 85% of branches in Tirana are open and working almost full hours, while about 15% remain closed. Shella stressed that a branch is where banks serve customers, not where depositors' money is kept, and that the system has ample liquidity, with a loan-to-deposit ratio of about 50%.
Governor Gent Sejko thanked the banks that kept their branches open and said the central bank's priority had been the smooth running of the payment system and the circulation of money. According to him, no event of this kind affects deposits. He called the banks a main pillar of the economy that must continue working professionally.
Rama: Not even in 1997 was the central bank attacked
Rama described the violence as orchestrated and said that not even in 1997 had the Bank of Albania been attacked, while now its windows had been smashed with stones. He described the banks as guarantors of Albanians' savings and announced that the government will cover 50% of rent for students who meet the criteria.
Meanwhile, the General Directorate of Taxes told ATSH (the Albanian Telegraphic Agency) that about 90 businesses in the capital have been identified as damaged so far, with losses reaching 18 million lek for some of them. The figures are preliminary, and businesses are being urged to report damage through the “Dëmi im” (My Damage) service on e-Albania.
