HBOR Board chairman Anton Kovacev underlined the importance of signing an agreement with Russia's largest and one of the world's fastest growing banks strategically focused on support for the economy.
He said the agreement was a good foundation for cooperation between Croatian and Russian companies as well as for Croatian investments in Russia and Russian in Croatia.
He recalled that before the 1991-95 war in Croatia, Croatian companies were significantly present in Russia, voicing hope that today's agreement would help to renew and strengthen business ties between the two countries.
Kovacev said he discussed the financing of three construction projects with Sberbank representatives worth EUR 190 million which Croatian companies would carry out in Russia, including a shopping mall in Moscow. HBOR would lend the money to the buyer and Sberbank provide collateral.
Sberbank deputy CEO Sergey Gorkov said he was glad that Sberbank had the chance to help in Croatia's efforts to increase exports to Russia, the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) as well as Turkey and the other countries in which the bank was present.
"We are willing to support Russian investment in Croatia and Croatian in Russia and CIS," he said.