Governor Ismaili welcomes the General of the Carabinieri Unit Against Currency Counterfeiting on an official visit to Kosovo

The Governor of the Central Bank of the Republic of Kosovo (CBK), Mr. Ahmet Ismaili, accompanied by Deputy Governor Fusha and colleagues, held a meeting with the General of the Carabinieri Unit Against Currency Counterfeiting, Mr. Gianluca Vitagliano, accompanied by Mr. Pier Luigi Ferri. The meeting took place within the framework of Pericles Program, as part of General Vitagliano’s visit meetings with senior officials of relevant institutions in the Republic of Kosovo.

Governor Ismaili initially briefed General Vitagliano on the mandate, duties, and responsibilities of the CBK, with an emphasis on the CBK’s activities in the field of anti-money laundering and countering the financing of terrorism (AML/CFT), the fight against counterfeit money, and the new project against currency counterfeiting.

The Governor of the CBK highlighted the fight against euro counterfeiting, emphasizing excellent cooperation with relevant institutions in Kosovo while informing him about developments in the payments sector, including Kosovo’s integration toward SEPA and the new fast payments infrastructure. He also provided an update on progress in drafting the legislation for the establishment of the National Center Against Currency Counterfeiting, supported by the Croatian National Bank and the EU Office in Pristina under the European Union’s TAIEX Program.

During the meeting at the CBK, discussions focused on opportunities to deepen inter-institutional cooperation in combating currency counterfeiting, including the EU co-financed project aimed at strengthening collaboration with Kosovan authorities and improving professional capacities for preventing and detecting counterfeiting. Furthermore, important aspects remain to be addressed in the area of crypto-assets and other digital instruments, based on the latest globally developed technologies.

At the meeting, it was emphasized that such a legal framework against currency counterfeiting will establish the appropriate structure for creating this Center in the CBK, defining competent authorities and their responsibilities in combating this phenomenon in a systematic and sustainable manner, which, in addition to its national contribution, also supports European integration processes.

CBK leadership informed the Italian Carabinieri delegation about additional important steps taken by the CBK in this area, including the signing in August 2025 of an agreement with the European Central Bank (ECB) in the field of combating euro banknote counterfeiting. This agreement strengthens the CBK’s institutional commitment to preserving the integrity of euro cash in circulation and ensuring the country’s financial stability. Through this agreement with the ECB, the CBK will have access to the ECB’s operational mechanisms designed to prevent and combat euro banknote counterfeiting and will integrate into the professional cooperation network with Eurosystem central banks and partner institutions outside the euro area, including countries in the Western Balkans.

While expressing gratitude to the Italian delegation for their visit, Governor Ismaili also expressed the highest appreciation for the support of Italian institutions and the European Union, emphasizing the importance of international cooperation and coordination with European partners in preserving currency integrity and strengthening monetary security in Kosovo.