Albania has become the first beneficiary of the EU’s Innovation and Green Transformation Facility for the Western Balkans, after the European Investment Bank (EIB) Group announced a €20 million deal to support small and medium-sized businesses and mid-sized companies.
EIB Group President Nadia Calviño visited Albania on 12 May 2026 and said the bank would launch new financing for energy, climate and digitalisation projects in the country, the EIB announced on Tuesday.
She met Prime Minister Edi Rama during the trip, with the EIB saying the meeting covered support for Albania’s progress towards European Union accession.
The visit was Calviño’s first to Albania since she took office in 2024, and the EIB said it plans to increase financing for Albania in 2026 by 60% compared with 2025.
Calviño also visited Le Bon, a bakery and pastry business in Tirana, which the EIB said has benefited from its financing for production upgrades, energy-efficiency improvements and job creation.
Prime Minister Rama stated the EIB had been a strategic partner for Albania on major projects and linked the partnership to Albania’s European integration and alignment with EU standards.
€20m credit line to be channelled through Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Albania
The €20 million agreement was signed by EIB Vice-President Robert de Groot and Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Albania, the EIB said.
The facility is designed to back investment by SMEs — small and medium-sized enterprises — and “Mid-Caps”, meaning mid-sized companies.
Intesa Sanpaolo Bank Albania will implement the €20 million credit line, providing what the EIB described as favourable financing to Albanian companies.
The bank is a subsidiary of Italy-based Intesa Sanpaolo Group, which has a longstanding partnership with the EIB.
The Innovation and Green Transformation Facility for the Western Balkans totals €170 million in EIB loans, €17 million in EU investment grants and €5.8 million in technical assistance.
