Patria Credit Press Release

Bucharest - 23 martie 2010 - The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) and Patria Credit (former CAPA Finance, hereinafter the “Company”) have concluded an agreement for a $25 million, 6 years maturity lending facility, designed to support the expansion of lending to small businesses and entrepreneurs in Romania, mobilizing capital for a severely under-banked segment of the country’s economy and contributing thus to the economic development of Romania. The Romanian American Enterprise Fund (RAEF), the majority shareholder of the Company, an investment fund chartered by the U.S. Congress in 1995, is the U.S. sponsor for the project.

Patria Credit (former CAPA Finance) is the largest non-bank financial institution in Romania targeting the micro-, small- and medium-sized business sector, in both urban and rural areas. The OPIC loan will enable CAPA to expand the availability of credit among SME borrowers, as well as consumer and low-income borrowers. The loan proceeds will be used to provide the lending products offered by Patria Credit to its targeted clientele segment: working capital and investment loans to small and micro enterprises, working capital and investment loans to agricultural producers operating in rural areas, working capital and investment loans to entrepreneurs with various professions.

“This project will significantly expand the availability of credit to SME and rural borrowers in Romania, thereby augmenting the Romanian financial sector in an area of great need“ said OPIC’s Acting President Dr. Lawrence Spinelli, at the approval of the loan.

Through this loan agreement the OPIC has also taken a major role in supporting the Company to achieve its strategic plans.

“OPIC loan is not only strengthening the institutional capability of the company to address its base of clients with adequate solutions to their financing needs but is also providing a strong support to the development strategy of Patria Credit in the current, very challenging, economic environment” said Horia Manda, the Chairman of Patria Credit Board of Directors.

About OPIC

OPIC was established as an agency of the U.S. government in 1971. It helps U.S. businesses invest overseas, fosters economic development in new and emerging markets, complements the private sector in managing risks associated with foreign direct investment, and supports U.S. foreign policy. Because OPIC charges market-based fees for its products, it operates on a self-sustaining basis at no net cost to taxpayers.

OPIC’s political risk insurance and financing help U.S. businesses of all sizes invest in more than 150 emerging markets and developing nations worldwide. Over the agency's 38-year history, OPIC has supported $188 billion worth of investments that have helped developing countries to generate over 830,000 host-country jobs. OPIC projects have also generated $72 billion in U.S. exports and supported more than 273,000 American jobs.

Visit OPIC on the web at www.opic.gov.


About Patria Credit (former CAPA Finance)
Patria Credit (former CAPA Finance) is the largest non-bank micro-finance institution providing loans to micro and small companies. As of year-end 2009, the company was serving a number of over 7800 customers through a network of 11 branches in large cities and 12 branches located in rural areas. The company has Total Assets of € 37million (as of December 31, 2009).
The main shareholders of the company are the Romanian American Enterprise Fund (RAEF) and the Balkan Accession Fund (BAF) holding together about 99% of the total shares of Patria Credit.

For Patria Credit
Camelia Raileanu
Manager Marketing & PR
Tel: 021/304.00.72
Fax: 021/222.11.38
Email:camelia_raileanu@patriacredit.ro