The heads of Moldova's central bank and the Bulgarian National Bank (BNB), Anca Dragu and Dimitar Radev, met in Sofia to discuss how the two institutions can work more closely, the National Bank of Moldova (NBM) said. Moldova wants to draw on Bulgaria's experience to bring its financial system in line with EU standards.
The meeting took place during the OMFIF forum of official monetary and financial institutions on 2 and 3 November. The forum's theme was "Enlargement, Transformation, Digitalisation".
The two governors looked at the BNB's path to European integration. They also discussed Bulgaria's switch to the euro on 1 January 2026. For the Moldovan bank, the way the BNB joined European payment systems is a practical guide to updating its own financial infrastructure.
Dragu explained how far the NBM has come. Moldova is gradually bringing its rules on regulation and supervision into line with EU law.
She also described Moldova's results as a member of the Single Euro Payments Area (SEPA) and how its instant payments system, MIA, is developing. Both systems cut costs and make transfers easier for people and businesses, the NBM said.
The bank expects the reforms to help the financial sector withstand shocks better, manage risks better and connect more easily to the European financial market.
The two sides also discussed outside uncertainty and the role of strong institutions in dealing with it.
Dragu stressed that an independent central bank provides financial stability, which benefits people and the economy.