Raiffeisen Leasing will act as a universal leasing company and offer leasing for a variety of assets with special focus on financial leasing. It is still undergoing registration, and is expected to begin its work in mid-2004 first in Sofia.

Raiffeisenbank (Bulgaria) EAD and Microfund EAD signed an agreement, under which the bank will extend a five-year credit line worth $3.0 mln (2.5 mln euro) in support of small and medium-sized enterprises.

In November, Raiffeisenbank Bulgaria started offering the international debit card VISA Electron in national and euro currency, besides in U.S. dollars.

The new credit is in support of purchases of new and up to 2-years used cars, trucks and vans from authorised importers or car dealers.

This is all the more remarkable as RZB has still had to cope with a persistently slack economy in Austria and the rest of Euroland this year as well as a weak equity market during the first quarter.

An award of the promotional game is Raiffeisenbank VISA Electron card with BGN 25. In addition the bank gives free Maestro domestic debit card.