Serbia raises $1.5 bln with ESG bond

The 10-year ESG bond, issued at a 6% coupon rate and secured at 4.754% after a swap transaction, attracted $6.5 billion in investor demand, showing strong international interest, Mali noted.

Serbia, which issued its first green Eurobond in 2021, decided to offer the sustainable bonds in US dollars in order to tap into a broader range of investors, Mali added.

He said that Serbia's Leap into the Future 2027 investment programme, linked with the specialised EXPO 2027 exhibition that will be held in the capital Belgrade, includes the implementation of 323 projects across the country.

The green projects include the construction of the Belgrade metro and of the Belgrade-Budapest fast-speed railway, as well as projects for recycling, boosting energy efficiency and other.

($ = 0.920 euro)