Two individuals file papers with NBU for approval to buy significant stake in Prominvestbank
KYIV. May 12 (Interfax) - Two private individuals, both Ukrainian citizens, filed papers with the National Bank of Ukraine (NBU) in April for approval to acquire a substantial direct stake in Prominvestbank which is Kyiv-based and part of the Vnesheconombank Group, the regulator's press service told Interfax.
"The documents received have now been registered and are under assessment. The public will be given more information following the assessment, including in regards to the individuals involved," a press service representative said.
The regulator said that under article 34 of the Ukrainian law on banks and banking activities, the Central Bank is assessing the relevant documents for three months from the date of receipt of all documents. During the assessment, the NBU will check the business reputations of the investor according to the requirements laid out in the regulator's legislative acts, the investor's financial position and origin of funds.
The NBU has the right to bar companies or individuals from acquiring or increasing a substantial stake in a bank in cases specified by the article.
Prominvestbank was founded in 1992. Its majority shareholder on January 1, 2017 was Russia's Vnesheconombank with 99.7151%.
According to NBU data, at year-end 2016, the bank was the 11th biggest of 93 Ukrainian banks in terms of assets with UAH 34.32 billion. The official exchange rate as of May 12 - UAH 26.43/$1.
