Projects in the Slovak Republic

Project Summary Documents

Project Summary Documents (PSDs) are disclosed for each project prior to Board consideration. They contain project descriptions, financial details, client information, environmental issues, tender guidelines, and contact details. PSDs for private sector projects are disclosed at least 30 days prior to Board consideration and for state sector projects, at least 60 days.

Project Summary Documents 

Signed projects

Board approval is the final stage in the project approval process. After Board approval, the EBRD and the client sign the deal and it becomes legally binding. Signed project lists reflect year-end data.

Signed projects  (0.1Mb) 

Case studies

Plugging into a more efficient network

Shifting electricity companies from state ownership to the private sector can bring benefits to the economy, the companies themselves and their customers through more efficiency, greater investment and better collection of bills.

Around 1 million customers in the Slovak Republic will see these improvements first hand following the first stage of the privatisation of Zapadoslovenska Energetika (ZSE), the electricity distribution company in the west of the country.

For the Slovak Republic, this transaction marks an important milestone in the country’s plans to achieve a market-based power sector in line with EU membership requirements. The EBRD has been actively involved with the government throughout the process and the Bank’s presence was instrumental in bringing leading international investors into the country’s energy sector.

The EBRD purchased a 9 per cent stake in ZSE from E.ON Energie, one of Europe’s leading energy companies, which had previously purchased a 49 per cent stake in the distribution company. The combination of E.ON’s technical skills and the Bank’s knowledge of the region will help ZSE to upgrade its business and support the liberalisation of the energy sector.

ZSE is now well-positioned to invest in its transmission network, which serves customers ranging from households to heavy industry. Improvements in management and operations will lead to a reduction in costs and a stronger focus on customer service. The success of this privatisation should also lead to further private sector involvement in the country’s energy system, including the privatisation of the state-owned generator.

“We are confident that the combination of E.ON Energie and the EBRD will bring benefits to our customers and employees in the region and support the long-term restructuring of the energy sector in the Slovak Republic,” said Johannes Teyssen, Chairman of E.ON Energie.

Technical cooperation funding was provided by the United Kingdom and the United States.

Grain receipt programme

The programme introduces a new financing system, which will provide secured lending for the seasonal working capital needs of farmers by using warehouse receipts. The creation of secure collateral for banks will mobilise credit for the agribusiness sector.

The final borrowers under this programme are agricultural producers and processors, who will borrow against grain stored in licensed warehouses. The programme will be managed by a local bank, Pol'nobanka, which will provide 50 per cent of the financing needed. It will also act as an agent on behalf of the EBRD.

The programme will contribute to competitive market interactions in the grain sector by introducing a new financing instrument to banks and farmers. It simplifies the administration of loans and reinforces the legal surety of all parties involved in credit transactions. It improves the functioning of markets by giving the farmers the freedom to choose whether to sell their grain at harvest or to store it and borrow against it.