CBCG and NLB Bank Discuss Operations, Future Plans and SEPA Integration
28/11/2024
The CBCG Governor, Ms Irena Radović, met today with Mr Antonio Argir, member of the NLB Group’s Management Board and newly appointed Chairman of the Supervisory Board of NLB Bank AD Podgorica and Mr Martin Leberle, the Chairman of the NLB Bank AD Podgorica Management Board.
During the meeting, they discussed the current NLB Bank operations, its development plans and preparations for joining the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) scheme.
They assessed that NLB Bank continued to show strong results in capitalisation and liquidity while continuously improving the assets’ quality and reducing the NPL share in the total portfolio. Their discussions also focused on further development plans for the bank, including investments in new technologies and further digitisation of services, which they consider essential for maintaining competitiveness in an increasingly dynamic market. “Innovations and modern solutions contribute to the development not only of the financial sector and the economy but also of the whole society,” said Mr Argir. He added that the services digitisation and supporting green transition are the two main pillars of the NLB Group’s strategy.
The interlocutors expressed their satisfaction with Montenegro’s recent admission to the SEPA system, highlighting it as a milestone in modernising payment services, aligning with EU payment system standards and integrating Montenegro into the European financial ecosystem. They mainly discussed the current status of NLB Bank’s preparations for integration into the SEPA network, analysing the results and challenges.
Governor Radović emphasised that joining the SEPA system requires a high commitment and efficiency of all banks, bespeaking that the CBCG will provide all the necessary support and cooperation to complete the process successfully and that citizens and the economy feel the benefits as soon as possible.
At the end of the meeting, the Governor reiterated that the CBCG remains a reliable partner to all banks that contribute to the Montenegrin financial system’s stability and development through their innovations and operations.