● New funding for small businesses outside Bucharest ●

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development is extending a EUR 20 million loan to BT Leasing to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized enterprises in Romania, particularly those outside the major metropolitan areas.

BT Leasing, part of Banca Transilvania Financial Group, is among Romania’s leading leasing companies and is wholly owned by Banca Transilvania, the country’s second-largest bank by assets. The company will use the EBRD loan to finance new leasing contracts for local SMEs, the backbone of the Romanian economy.

“The EBRD is committed to supporting the development of Romania’s leasing market as part of our efforts to broaden access to finance for local companies. These fresh funds, provided via our longstanding partner, BT Leasing, are aimed at small businesses across the country where financing is needed, especially outside Bucharest and other large cities,” said Matteo Patrone, EBRD Regional Director for Romania and Bulgaria.

BT Leasing focuses on SMEs, and its long-term objective is to become the leading leasing company in Romania — growth that will particularly benefit regional businesses.

“With this new facility we aim to support as many SMEs in Romania as possible, especially since leasing is one of the most accessible forms of finance for such companies. In the first 4 months of this year we financed assets worth EUR 41 million, up 27% compared with the same period last year. Through these results, together with the other companies of Banca Transilvania Financial Group, we are supporting Romanian entrepreneurship,” said Ionut Morar, General Manager, BT Leasing.

The EBRD and BT Leasing have concluded four financing agreements to date, with total loans extended so far amounting to EUR 45 million.