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ALWorking meeting with the Crisis Staff of the Chamber of Commerce of North Macedonia
"There is great interest in credit lines to support the economy in times of an energy crisis"
Today, the Development Bank of North Macedonia hosted a meeting of the management with the Crisis Staff of the Chamber of Commerce of North Macedonia. During the meeting, the parties discussed credit lines to support the economy offered by the bank in the context of the energy crisis. In addition to Chief Executive Officer Kire Naumov, Chief Operating Officer Faruk Ismaili and members of the expert unit attended the meeting. The Crisis Staff presented the activities, as well as the demands of the companies that resulted from the direct meetings in the field, and refer to an easier bridging of the crisis and improvement of their liquidity.
The vice president of the Chamber, Jelisaveta Georgieva-Jovevska, emphasized that in addition to direct subsidies for electricity, companies are also interested in loans with low-interest rates that will help them overcome the energy crisis more easily. In that direction, the Chamber, through the Crisis Staff, will undertake additional activities for the reaffirmation of the credit lines offered by the Development Bank to the business community.
At the meeting, CEO Naumov emphasized that there is a great interest in lending opportunities. Part of the loans for the companies are directly credited by DBNM, i.e. EUR 5.5 million were extended to 122 companies in the activities related to food production, and part of the loans are realized through participating banks (8 commercial banks).
New support of EUR 5 million is in the preparation phase, which will be made available to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in about ten days. At the same time, Naumov stressed, the Development Bank negotiates with several international institutions, including the European Investment Bank, to secure a new tranche for supporting small and medium-sized companies, as well as for a green transition. Until now, 6 (six) credit lines have been withdrawn through the EIB and EUR 550 million have been invested to support 2,361 micro, small and medium-sized companies in the country.