December 25 (SeeNews) - The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) said it is increasing the availability of financing to Macedonia’s real sector with a 5.0 million euro ($7.2 million) credit line to Ohridska Banka AD Ohrid for on-lending to small and medium-sized companies.
“The EBRD loan will support Ohridska banka’s strategy to further expand its operations throughout the country and become a significant national player, by increasing its portfolio of SMEs loans,” EBRD said in a statement posted on its website on Thursday.
The credit line to Ohridska Banka, part of French banking group Societe Generale, will be used for financing small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with loans of up to 500,000 euro.
“The credit line will be complemented by a technical cooperation programme, funded by 500,000 euro grant funds from the EBRD’s Western Balkans Fund, to strengthen SME lending procedures of Ohridska banka,” EBRD said.
Ohridska Banka was set up in 1995 and became part of the Societe Generale Group in 2007. It is the fourth largest bank by assets in Macedonia.
EBRD has committed more than 510 million euro to over 40 projects in Macedonia since 1993. The bank’s investments have attracted additional financing worth more than 620 million euro, EBRD said.
($=0.6931 euro)