site.btaEuropean Investment Bank, Black Sea Bank to Lend EUR 100 Mln-Plus for SMEs in Bulgaria, Greece, Romania

September 30 (BTA) - The European Investment Bank (EIB)
and the Black Sea Trade and Development Bank (BSTDB) will
jointly provide over 100 million euro for new investment by
small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and medium
capitalization companies (Mid Caps) across Greece, Romania and
Bulgaria through a new private sector financing initiative
launched in Athens on Friday, the BSTDB said in a press release.
 

The financing programme, funded fifty-fifty by EIB and BSTDB,
will focus on supporting growth by agribusiness, manufacturing,
transport and renewable energy companies and marks the first
business partnership between the two development banks. To
launch the programme, the EIB provided a 12-year 50 million euro
 loan to the BSTDB, which will manage the whole programme and
extend loans to companies in Greece, Romania and Bulgaria.

"Today's historic 100 million euro agreement marks the first
cooperation between the EIB and the BSTDB and we look forward to
 strengthening support for private sector growth across the
region together in the years ahead," said EIB Vice President
Andrew McDowell.

"Our shared understanding of private sector priorities will
strengthen the development impact of the new financing
programme," said BSTDB President Dmitry Pankin. DS/LG

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