EIB and Intesa Leasing Beograd agreed on €40 million loan for COVID-19 recovery for Serbian SMEs and mid-caps

As the COVID-19 crisis continues to pose serious challenges on the global economy, including Serbia, the European Investment Bank (EIB) and Intesa Leasing Beograd (ILB) signed a €40 million loan for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and mid-caps in Serbia. These funds will enable ILB to provide affordable lease finance to local companies under more flexible and favourable conditions, which are part of COVID-19 exceptional measures adopted by the EIB in May 2020. This agreement will help support job retention, recovery and development of the private sector in Serbia.

Darko Popovic, President of Intesa Leasing Managing Board in Serbia, stated: "We are pleased to sign the fourth credit line today with the European Investment Bank (EIB), our long-term partner, with whom we have so far placed loans in the total amount of 30 million euros. The current circumstances caused by the COVID-19 virus have mostly affected small and medium enterprises, which on the one hand are the most vulnerable, but on the other hand also the most important carrier of the recovery of the Serbian economy in the period after the pandemic. Through a new credit line signed with the EIB, Intesa Leasing will offer to this segment favourable sources of financing in order to contribute to its strengthening and enable its continuous operation.”