Ripples in Albania.

help it deal with the adverse impacts of the crisis and it was still expecting to generate free cash flow close to 500 million euros this year, but only if the current restrictions on using cash are lifted.

Albania’s central bank held its benchmark repo rate last week at a record low 2 percent, and predicted its moves to stimulate the economy would stay in place at least until the first half of next year. Central Bank Governor Gent Sejko said the economy grew 2.8 percent yearon-year in the first quarter, despite damage to agriculture from flooding in February, and predicted similar growth in the second quarter. But he told a news conference, “The Supervisory Board believes the second part of the year might record slower rates of growth as a consequence of a possible negative impact from events in Greece.” The central bank has brought its main interest rate down through repeated cuts from 6.25 percent in 2009 to help the economy through years of slowdown and low inflation.