Speaking at a news conference, Ibrahimaj said the measures involve several institutions and aim to build the necessary infrastructure to increase the use of electronic payments while reducing transaction costs for businesses.

“One of the first measures we have taken under this plan is the decision approved as part of this year’s fiscal package, requiring every trader operating in Albania to have at least one electronic payment method,” she said.

Economy Minister said electronic payments are no longer limited to traditional point-of-sale (POS) terminals, noting that software-based solutions are increasingly available, offering businesses a wide range of options with varying costs and levels of complexity.

To avoid a rushed implementation, the government has set phased deadlines. From June, the use of POS terminals will become mandatory in tourism-related sectors, a move driven by the needs of foreign visitors to pay electronically, she said. The same deadline applies to public administration entities.

The rest of the economy will be given a one-year transition period to comply with the requirement, she added.

Ibrahimaj said the government has been working since last year on a project with Mastercard to support Albanian businesses in adopting electronic payment methods, and is holding discussions with Visa and domestic banks to ensure implementation of the policy at the lowest possible cost to merchants.

She said current transaction costs are borne by businesses, adding that the government aims to reduce both initial investment and transaction costs by promoting innovative payment solutions.

As part of the plan, the Bank of Albania is expected to introduce measures to lower transaction costs, particularly for small-value payments, to encourage wider adoption of electronic payments, Ibrahimaj said.

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