Last year, the HBOR approved HRK 10.2 billion in loans, a record amount, HBOR Board chairman Anton Kovacev told reporters on Monday.
He said the HBOR increased from last year's 48% to 61% in the first 11 months of this year the share of investment loans, which was close to the share before the economic crisis.
He said small and medium enterprises showed the biggest interest in loans this year, with more than HRK 3 billion approved, mainly for small-scale investments. He added that the biggest interest was in programmes for startups, women entrepreneurs, environmental protection and tourism.
This year the HBOR secured EUR 800 million in favourable funds by borrowing mainly from the European Development Bank, the European Central Bank and the World Bank, and has agreed in principle to borrow EUR 1.2 billion from international financial institutions next year.
The HBOR plans to introduce a programme for the insurance of micro-loans whereby the HBOR will share the risk with banks, and to step up cooperation with commercial banks through a risk-sharing model.
The HBOR will also keep lower interest rates for another six months on loans for investments in production, agriculture, tourism and environmental protection.
(EUR 1 = HRK 7.6)