LONG-TERM LOAN AGREEMENT SIGNED BY BTC AND A LOAN SYNDICATE LED BY BANK AUSTRIA CREDITANSTALT
 
 
On January 14 a syndicated loan agreement was signed by BTC plc and Bank Austria Creditanstalt plc, as the lead bank, involving a loan syndicate comprising: Nova Ljubljanska banka plc, LHB Internationale Handelsbank AG and Abanka Vipa plc.

The EUR 40 million loan is to be repaid within 15 years and the BTC company will use the new funds to rearrange its existing loan portfolio in line with the company’s long-term development. The loan amount, repayment period and favourable interest rates are particularly important for BTC since it will have a more stable capital flow helping it to improve its investment plans and more easily balance its liabilities and cut its expenditure by SIT 200 million annually.
 
By being granted this loan the BTC company has again received confirmation of its successful business practice and development while its vision has been regarded as trustworthy by reputable international and Slovenian banks.
 
The Bank Austria Creditanstalt involvement is the result of long running co-operation and trust not only by BTC plc and Bank Austria Creditanstalt but also amongst the banks forming the syndicate which are successful in perceiving customers’ needs and potential and attracting foreign financial institutions. We at BTC can only hope that this loan will appeal to other investors with a similar vision, ambitions and a developed business strategy which have not yet found suitable financial levers. 
 
 
Management Boards:
Bank Austria Creditanstalt plc Ljubljana,
Nova Ljubljanska banka plc,
LHB Internationale Handelsbank AG,
Abanka Vipa plc and
BTC plc
 
Ljubljana, 14 January 2005