EIB to open Slovenia office in summer

• After approving a record amount of financing for Slovenia last year, the European Investment Bank (EIB) will boost its presence in the country by opening an office in Ljubljana in the summer.

  

  This year, the EIB will focus on finding projects suitable for backing from the European Fund for Strategic Investments, EIB vice-president Laszlo Baranyay told reporters in Ljubljana on Thursday.

  The bank and the affiliated European Investment Fund will try to recognise such projects in cooperation with Slovenia’s SID export and development bank, which is involved in the European Investment Advisory Hub.

  “We won’t be doing just consulting, we might set up a joint investment platform with the SID bank. There are plenty of opportunities,” Baranyay said.

  The EIB group provided EUR 7.5bn in funds secured with budget guarantees as part of the investment plan for Europe last year, enabling more than EUR 50bn worth of investments.

  In Slovenia alone the financing approved by the EIB hit a record level at EUR 798m, with the overall amount of investment at EUR 4.4bn.

  The country benefited from the highest level of investment per capita compared to other European countries at 2,125 euro, which Baranyay said was a very good result.

  Out of EUR 798m in financing approved to Slovenia, EUR 500m was allocated to EU funds priority projects in the 2014-2020 period. The funds went to virtually all business sectors, and for the first time to projects aimed at easing the migration crisis.

  Baranyay highlighted a EUR 145m loan for motorways, a EUR 133m credit for electricity distribution and a loan of EUR 20m that went to small and medium-sized businesses.

  The EIB will seek potential for extra financing in Slovenia. Baranyay is meeting Ljubljana Mayor Zoran Janković today to discuss options for cooperation with the capital city.

  As a further opportunity the EIB vice-president offered the financing of investments by enterprises after undergoing privatisation.

  Announcing the opening of an EIB office in Slovenia, Baranyay described it as yet further confirmation of good cooperation with Slovenia.

  Source: The Slovenia Times

  Photo: EIB rights free