Luxembourg, 15/11/2000 (Agence Europe) - The European Investment Bank (EIB) has granted four further loans in Greece, for a total of 416 million euro:
- A 200 million euro loan, granted to Attiko Metro, is intended for the construction of two new underground lines in Athens. These lines, linking the eastern and western parts of the Greek capital, passing through the centre, will be built by an international consortium comprising Greek, French, German and American companies. This loan complements the 835 million euro already granted by the EIB for the Athens metro since 1994. The project is also being financed by the European Union's Structural Funds.
- A 150 million euro loan granted to the Hellenic Republic will finance the construction of 10 motorway sections along the central part of the Egnatia trunk road, which is the major west-east road between the port of Brindisi in southern Italy, the port of Igoumenista in Greece, the Balkan countries and Turkey. Included in the priority Trans-European Networks, the project is also being financed by the EU's Structural Funds.
- A 56 million euro loan to the Greek Republic is destined for the Athens-Thessaloniki-Evzoni motorway (PATHE). The funds are for the upgrading to a four-lane toll motorway the Pelasgia-Gytroni stretch of this trunk road. Main road linking Greece to the rest of the EU, the PATHE motorway is also part of the Trans-European Networks and benefits from the Structural Funds.
- A 10 million global loan facility is being made available to the Greek banking network of Hellenic Bank Ltd, of Cyprus, which will on-lend the funds to Greek small and medium-sized companies for projects in the industry, tourism, services and environmental protection sectors.
