## IMF to Open New Regional Office for Western Balkans

_IMF News, June 14, 2019_

## Source details

**Canonical URL:** [IMF to Open New Regional Office for Western Balkans](https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2019/06/13/pr19214-imf-to-open-new-regional-office-for-western-balkans)

## Other formats

- [Markdown version](/en/news/articles/2019/06/13/pr19214-imf-to-open-new-regional-office-for-western-balkans/index.md)
- [Structured JSON version](/en/news/articles/2019/06/13/pr19214-imf-to-open-new-regional-office-for-western-balkans/index.json)
- [Bundle manifest](/en/news/articles/2019/06/13/pr19214-imf-to-open-new-regional-office-for-western-balkans/bundle-manifest.json)

## Bibliographic details
- Published: June 14, 2019

---

### Key announcement
- Press Release No. 19/214
- Date: June 14, 2019
- The International Monetary Fund (IMF) will open a new regional resident representative office to strengthen its relationship with Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Republic of North Macedonia.
- Location: Vienna.
- Operational timing: The office will be operational in the fall, at a date to be announced.

### Purpose and mandate
- Maintain close engagement with the four countries (Albania, Kosovo, Montenegro, and Republic of North Macedonia).
- Strengthen relationships with donors, international institutions (including the World Bank), and the Austrian government, described as an important trade and development partner of the Western Balkan region.
- Establishing the office as a regional office is described as cost-effective and intended to keep the IMF close to members in the region and leading development partners.

### Leadership and staffing
- The new office will be headed by Stephanie Eble, currently the Fund’s mission chief for Kosovo.
- Stephanie Eble: German national; has previously worked on Ukraine, Greece, Serbia, and Bosnia & Herzegovina; graduate from the London School of Economics.
- Ms. Eble will oversee the local teams in the existing offices in Albania, Kosovo and North Macedonia, which will be maintained.
- Serbia and Bosnia & Herzegovina, which have active IMF programs, will remain with their own representatives.

### Statements and meetings
- IMF Deputy Managing Director Tao Zhang said the office “will be an important part of our ongoing relationship with these four countries, as they pursue European Union accession.”
- Tao Zhang met with the Governor of the Austrian National Bank, Ewald Nowotny, and Harald Waiglein, Director General of the Ministry of Finance, in Vienna.

### Media and contact
- IMF Communications Department — MEDIA RELATIONS
- PRESS OFFICER: Andreas Adriano
- Phone: +1 202 623-7100
- Email: MEDIA@IMF.org

*IMF Press Release No. 19/214 — June 14, 2019*

---

## Content in this bundle

- **Kumtesë për shtyp nr. 19/214 — FMN hap zyre të re rajonale për Ballkanin Perëndimor**
  - [Kumtesë për shtyp nr. 19/214 — FMN hap zyre të re rajonale për Ballkanin Perëndimor (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/news/press-release/2019/pr19214-alb.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [Kumtesë për shtyp nr. 19/214 — FMN hap zyre të re rajonale për Ballkanin Perëndimor (PDF)](/-/media/files/news/press-release/2019/pr19214-alb.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}
- **Соопштение за медиуми бр. 19/214 — ММФ ќе отвори нова регионална канцеларија за Западен Балкан**
  - [Соопштение за медиуми бр. 19/214 — ММФ ќе отвори нова регионална канцеларија за Западен Балкан (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/news/press-release/2019/pr19214-mcd.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [Соопштение за медиуми бр. 19/214 — ММФ ќе отвори нова регионална канцеларија за Западен Балкан (PDF)](/-/media/files/news/press-release/2019/pr19214-mcd.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}
- **MMF otvara novu regionalnu kancelariju za zapadni Balkan**
  - [MMF otvara novu regionalnu kancelariju za zapadni Balkan (Markdown version)](/-/media/files/news/press-release/2019/pr19214-mng.pdf.md){rel="alternate" type="text/markdown"}
  - [MMF otvara novu regionalnu kancelariju za zapadni Balkan (PDF)](/-/media/files/news/press-release/2019/pr19214-mng.pdf){rel="external" type="application/pdf"}

---

## References

- [Albania and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/alb/index.htm)
- [Bosnia and Herzegovina and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/BIH/index.htm)
- [Greece and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/GRC/index.htm)
- [Republic of Kosovo and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/UVK/index.htm)
- [Montenegro and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/MNE/index.htm)
- [Republic of North Macedonia and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/MKD/index.htm)
- [Republic of Serbia and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/SRB/index.htm)
- [Ukraine and the IMF](http://www.imf.org/external/country/UKR/index.htm)
- [Press Releases](https://www.imf.org/en/news/searchnews)
- [PRESS CENTER](http://presscenter.imf.org/)
- [new regional resident representative office](https://www.imf.org/en/Countries/ResRep/western-balkans)
- [https://www.imf.org/en/home](https://www.imf.org/en/home)

_Source: https://www.imf.org/en/news/articles/2019/06/13/pr19214-imf-to-open-new-regional-office-for-western-balkans_