EximBank’s President, Ionut Costea, told Business Standard that, at present, 60 percent of the volume of loans granted by the bank is destined to SMEs, 30 percent is financing for local public administrations, while corporate loans make up the remaining 10 percent.
The banker said that the lender offers interest rates on lei-denominated loans of 13-15 percent, while the average at the market level is 17-18 percent. Moreover, EximBank’s nonperforming loans are below the banking system average, and the institution tried to restructure these in the first half of this year.
Loans granted by EximBank to SMEs rose by one third in the first eight months of this year, compared to the end of 2008, to RON 310.6 million (€74 mln), due to a tripling in financing made in the name of the state.
