On February 24, 2009, the Moscow Administration extended by 18 months the “Moscow Administration Authorized Bank” status for 8 credit institutions including UNIASTRUM BANK.

This status allows the Bank to participate in many special-purpose programs of the Moscow Administration, as well as implies an opportunity for small and medium-size businesses of getting loans pursuant to the Bank’s requirements under guarantees of the Moscow SME Lending Assistance Fund which will represent an extra guarantee of loan extension.

In the framework of development of the SME lending program, UNIASTRUM BANK entered in 2008 into loan agreements amounting to about RUR 400 mln. The Bank used the guarantees of the Fund to the amount exceeding RUR 200 mln. As of 01.01.2009 the total amount of existing loan agreements of UNIASTRUM BANK under this program constituted RUR 600 mln., and guarantees of the Fund amounting to RUR 300 mln. were used.

In the period of cooperation with the Fund – starting from early 2007 - UNIASTRUM BANK entered into agreements to the total amount exceeding RUR 940 mln.

“Lending to small and medium-size businesses is a strategic direction of the UNIASTRUM BANK business”, Igor Apostolov, Director of the State Power Bodies Cooperation Dept, states. – Cooperation with the Moscow Small Business Lending Assistance Fund allows us to not only expand the business volumes, but also to actively develop the Russian economy, as the small business is the most prospective segment at the moment”.

For extra information please contact
Ms. Olga Kurganova, 783 58 10 ext. 1066
kurganova@uniastrum.com