The bank's managing board chairman, Anton Kovacev, said last week that the financing of the export made up 51 percent of all loans, i.e. 2.3 billion kuna which was by 31 percent more than in 2004.
The HBOR assets rose by two billion kuna to 13.7 billion kuna.
The preliminary results show that in 2005 the bank ensured a net profit of 170 million kuna, Kovacev told a news conference.
In 2005, big companies received 1.43 billion kuna of HBOR loans (a 31-percent rise), with small and medium-sized enterprises being granted 421 loans worth 694 million kuna, which was by 206 percent higher than in 2004. The bank pledged to continue supporting small and medium-sized businesses in 2006, too.
In order to enable Croatian exporters to have easier access to foreign markets, HBOR has concluded six new agreements with foreign export banks and competent agencies and signed agreements providing five framework credit lines for financing buyers abroad.
HBOR is also drawing up a new programme for financing the preparation for the new tourist season. Loans for this purpose will be approved at a four-percent interest rate with amounts totalling between 100,000 and 10 million kuna. The loan should be paid back in two instalments on 15 October and 15 November. This year contracts for these loans will have no such condition that goods bought by the funds from the loan must be made in Croatia, which was the case last year.
(1 EUR =7.4 kuna)