The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) issued on 1 February a press statement in which it noted having invested in Croatia a record high EUR 297 million into private sector projects in Croatia during 2022 that were increasingly focused on “decarbonization and the financing of green projects” – and these investments amounted to 82% of its the total annual 2022 investments in Croatia, with the largest part or 63% of funding directed towards green economy transition projects, Croatian media report. EBRD Director for Croatia Victoria Zinchuk noted that last year Croatia had faced several local and global challenges which led the EBRD to intensify its engagement through financing and counselling as means to support both the private enterprises and the country as a whole. It also launched a number of initiatives intended to assist and support the fast-growing start-up community and domestic technological industries, and invested in a number of innovative financial instruments, which included EUR 70 million into the country’s first sustainable bonds, as well as loans totaling some EUR 40 million to small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), including for their leasing of green equipment and technologies.In terms of the public sector EBRD provided a EUR 50 million secured loan for public utilities in the City of Zagreb – while the City of Karlovac was the second city to join the EBRD ‘Green Cities Program’ in which the bank and the European Union (EU) co-finance together a comprehensive renovation of the heating network in the city, as well as its replacement of outdated water pipes and shafts, and also overall efficiency improvements in the city’s heat distribution network.“EBRD's local and international advisory projects with Croatian small and medium-sized enterprises are financed with donor support from the European Investment Advisory Center and the EBRD's Small Business Impact Fund. In the coming weeks, the Board of Directors of EBRD will discuss its new strategy for Croatia for 2023-2028, with a focus on economic competitiveness, resilience and green transition, says the statement, which reminds that the EBRD has so far been in Croatia invested a total of EUR 4.5 billion. (ICE ZAGABRIA)

Fonte notizia: HRT and Tportal online edition 01/02/2023