BKT celebrates 85th anniversary of its Vlora branch

TIRANA, Nov. 21 – Turkish-owned Banka Komb쵡re Tregtare (BKT) has celebrated the 85th anniversary of the opening of its Vlora Branch, in southern Albania, which is one of the country’s oldest banking institutions. In a ceremony held last week, BKT and local government officials inaugurated the newly reconstructed bank building, situated in the Sheshi i Flamurit (the Flag Square) of the southern coastal city. The bank was built back in November, 1926, fourteen years after Albania had announced its independence. The exterior architecture of the building, a very well-known landmark in Vlora, has been renovated while the interior design of the branch has been renovated to better reveal the characteristics of the building and to make the branch more user-friendly for its customers. “We are very happy to inherit such an important and significant branch and all our actions have been in line with the respective responsibility. Our efforts to make the oldest commercial bank in Albania the most modern one by providing the best products and services, will continue.” said Seyhan Pencapligil, CEO and Board Member of BKT. “In this important anniversary I would like to share with you the joy of the good news that BKT, unlike many of its competitors, has been increasing its deposits and business faster than ever.” Part of Turkish-owned Calik Group, which also owns Albtelecom and Eagle Mobile, BKT is the second largest and the oldest commercial bank in Albania with a total of 1.8 billion USD in assets and 1.6 billion of USD in deposits. BKT’s network includes 82 branches, of which 62 are situated in Albania and 20 in Kosovo, making it the biggest Albanian bank in the region. BKT has been continuously awarded as the Best Bank in Albania, with the latest 2010 award given by the prestigious British magazine “The Banker”. BKT is the only bank that has been reaffirmed for the third year in a row by JCR-Eurasia Rating with AAA(Alb). Albania established its first bank in 1913 soon after the country declared its independence in Nov. 1912.