Gent Sejko: Transparency, communication and the importance of the media partnership Address by Mr Gent Sejko, Governor of the Bank of Albania, at the end-of-year meeting with the media and the Governor’s Award ceremony, Tirana, 13 December 2019. * * * Dear ladies and gentlemen, Welcome to the Bank of Albania, to spend some time together as the year end approaches. Sadly, the atmosphere at the end of this year is different from previous ones, following the devastating earthquake, which hit Albania in late November. In the aftermath, we are all heartbroken by the tragic loss of 51 lives, with hundreds of others injured and many buildings, which have collapsed or have been heavily affected by the strongest quake in decades. Yet, beyond the material consequences and psychological shock, this tragic event foregrounded another – somewhat dormant – dimension of our society: solidarity and unconditional support for each other. We all witnessed an impressive demonstration of voluntary support from fellow citizens to those affected by the devastating earthquake. In this extraordinary situation, the media played a key role in promoting solidarity and alleviating the human pain caused by this natural disaster. In light of this event, and in retrospection of 2019, let me express my sincere thanks and heartfelt gratitude to the media, to those who are present here tonight, and those that were unable to attend, for their invaluable work, reporting news truthfully and in real time.
I want to underline today that you are an important partner in our efforts and when we join forces guaranteeing the welfare of future generations becomes an easier task. Dear guests, We have constantly emphasised that financial education and research are an integral and significant part of the activity of the Bank of Albania. They are a precondition and source for the social-economic development and welfare of the citizens of Albania. In this regard, I would like now to turn your attention to what has now become a tradition, the ceremony for the Governor’s Award for the Best Diploma. 1/2  BIS central bankers' speeches  This is the 13th year that the Bank of Albania has selected and awarded three diploma theses. Over the years, we have found that the quality of research work has been improving, to the point that it has become actually difficult to distinguish the work presented by a recently graduated student from that of a researcher at the Bank of Albania. The selected topics present great interest, as they focus on critical issues related to the economic and financial reality in Albania and beyond. As in previous years, Albanian students from domestic or foreign universities have applied and presented their best research work. We are happy to note that participation and interest from students and universities has been significantly on the rise, revealing the recognition, reliability and reputation this Award has achieved.