European Investment Bank disburses 100 mln euros for technical assistance to Ukraine's reconstruction

MOSCOW. April 8 (Interfax) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) has disbursed 100 million euros from its own equity for technical assistance and consultations on Ukraine's reconstruction projects suitable for banks, EIB Vice President Teresa Czerwinska said at the Protecting the Region from Blended Threats conference in Rome on Monday, as quoted by Ukrainian media.

Every project financed by the EIB aims to bring Ukraine closer to European standards, stronger management, transparency and economic reforms, Czerwinska said.

The bank invests in preparations for energy, transport and social infrastructure projects, she said.

Before the crisis, the EIB prepared a 7.5-billion-euro portfolio in Ukraine's public and private sectors, a third of which addressed private enterprises, Czerwinska said.

The bank did not stop financing Ukraine during the crisis and allotted $2 billion two weeks into it, she said.

She also announced the launch of a $300 million export credit facility for export credit agencies to facilitate exports of EU small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to Ukraine, as well as a 500-million-euro facility for transition financing aimed at SMEs in Ukraine.

The bank supports both sides: the export of European SMEs to Ukraine, as well as Ukrainian SMEs, to enable them to do business during the crisis. It is a combination of three elements: support for critical infrastructure, support for SMEs and support for Ukrainian partners in implementing EU standards, Czerwinska said.