Two basic macroeconomic policies, monetary policy and fiscal policy, have contributed toward the economic activity stabilization, without exerting increasing pressures on the inflation rate. The budget expenses during 2004 have been relatively uniform throughout the year, without jeopardizing the rise of inflationary pressures in the economy in given periods. The domestic borrowing of Government has been 2.0 percent of GDP over 2004, compared to 2.9 percent in 2003. Monetary policy The monetary policy followed during 2004 maintained the easing trend of the policy being followed during 2003. Bank of Albania has cut 5 times the core interest rate over 2004, with a total effect of 1.25 percentage points. The core interest rate reached new minimum historical levels through every cut occurred during 2004, remaining by the end of the year 5.25 percent. The easing monetary policy  4  BIS Review 38/2005  has been in compliance with the inflation developments during 2004 and the positive expectations on this indicator in the future. These developments seem to have been perceived by the public, who is increasingly anchoring the inflationary expectations to the inflation target announced by the Bank of Albania. This is reflected in the increase of public interest in depositing their savings in Lek, generating also appreciation pressures on the exchange rate in Lek. The appreciation of exchange rate in Lek, accompanied by stable inflation values in the largest trade partners of Albania, has impacted the decrease of inflation value imported during 2004.

The ESRB approach uses the concept of residual risk, which is the difference between the level of risk and the current resilience of the financial system.12 In setting up the framework, policymakers need to establish the level of residual risk that they consider acceptable. Regular macroprudential policy decisions would then follow a two-stage process. Policymakers assess the level of residual risk in the system, and if that diverges from the acceptable level, they then assess the policy tightening or loosening required to realign it. Conclusion Let me conclude. Over the past eight years, the implementation of macroprudential policy in Europe has substantially improved, and the ESRB has played a valuable role in facilitating that process. The ESRB’s success derives from its broad membership. Systemic risk takes different forms over time, so discussions incorporating a wide range of viewpoints and experience are vital if policymakers are to successfully safeguard the stability of the financial system. 1 See, for example, European Commission Staff Working Document, Coping with the international financial crisis  at the national level in a European context, p.11, which shows that even in 2015 the contribution of the state to financial sector repair represented more than 10% of total public debt in many countries. 2 ESRB (2014), ESRB Flagship report on macroprudential policy in the banking sector. 3 Kelber, A. and Monnet, É. (2014), “Macroprudential policy and quantitative instruments: a European historical  perspective, Financial Stability Review, Banque de France, April, 18: 151–160. 4 Some discussion had certainly taken place prior to the crisis.