They are well-capitalized, mainly self-funded, and play a vital role in the Albanian economy. However, individually their operations are rather small compared to those of other foreign banks in Albania. Therefore, some mergers may need to take place. In recent years, Greek banks have spread widely in South Eastern Europe.
However, few banks managed to obtain, on an individual basis, a substantial market share and size, which are critical factors for efficiency and profitability. This shortcoming has to be addressed. A stronger presence of fewer banks would be better not only for individual banks, but also for the market and the domestic economy.