Based on the longstanding fruitful cooperation with Fondi Besa, a leading non-banking provider of loans to micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Albania, the Bank extended the fourth MSME loan of EUR 6 million to Fondi Besa for on-lending to micro and small enterprises across the country, focusing especially on companies outside large cities.

Micro, small and medium enterprises account for almost 90% of Albania’s economy and represent the country’s engine of growth and development. This new BSTDB loan to Fondi Besa complements the Bank’s on-going support to key areas of the Albanian economy, such as agribusiness, manufacturing and services industry.

The BSTDB cooperation with Fondi Besa dates back to 2014. Since then, the Bank has provided financing totaling EUR 21 million in aggregate, thus offering to thousands of people access to financial means to start or extend their business activities and hence promoting job creation and contributing to the economic development of the country.