Luxembourg, 07/01/2002 (Agence Europe) - At the end of December, the European Investment Band granted loans of EUR 43 million to finance six environmental projects in Hungary, which brings the total amount lent to this candidate country since 1990, to almost EUR 2.2 billion. The EIB funds will be utilised for the modernising and upgrading of two wastewater projects (Györ and Szeged) and four solid waste management projects at Debrecen, Miskolc, Szeged and Szolnok. According to the press release issued by the EIB, they will be co-financing these projects together with the European Commission. The latter will provide grant financing under its ISPA programme, which is designed to further urgent environmental and transport projects in countries seeking EU accession. The press release indicated that the EIB loan signed by the EIB and the Hungarian government was the first of this kind and is likely to be followed by a number of similar transactions under which the Bank makes available suitable long-term funds which have already been earmarked for ISPA support.