(ANSA) - BELGRADE, OCT. 19 - The European Investment Bank (EIB)
has decided to grant a 25m loan to the Raiffeisen Leasing bank
in Bosnia-Herzegovina, with the aim of favouring loans to SMEs)
in the Balkan country. EIB reported in a statement that
Raiffeisen Leasing will use the loan to finance investment
projects of companies operating in the fields of industry,
tourism, agriculture and services, encouraging especially
investment to support youth employment within the European Youth
Employment and Training programme for the Western Balkans
(Eyet).
Local authorities will also be eligible for loans to finance
investments in the sectors of environmental protection, health
and education. According to EIB estimates, the loan will support
about 445 small and medium-sized businesses and 4,450 jobs.
An agreement to provide a first tranche of funding, which is
worth 15m - the EIB announced - was signed today in Sarajevo by
Matteo Rivellini, head of EIB for the Western Balkans, Croatia
and Slovenia, and Karlheinz Dobnigg, CEO of Raiffeisen Bank of
Bosnia-Herzegovina, who both expressed great satisfaction with
the loan, which has the goal to support small and medium-sized
enterprises and create new jobs in Bosnia and Herzegovina.
(ANSA).
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