Council of Europe Development Bank to invest €800m in Slovakia

The Council of Europe Development Bank (CEB) governor Rolf Wenzel and Slovak Finance Minister Peter Kažimír (Smer-SD) announced jointly on Thursday that CEB is due to spend another €800 million in Slovakia for social programmes. These will include investments in health care, education, administration, judicial and prison infrastructure, public infrastructure, regional development and the creation of jobs in SMEs. According to Kažimír, the bank will cooperate with the Slovak Investment Holding to fund social enterprises, apart from co-funding projects to be carried out by the Environment Ministry. With the bank's annual session currently taking place in Bratislava, it should also discuss a possible loan for the Bratislava Water Utility to the tune of €50 million. In the past, the CEB took part in the reconstruction of Bratislava's Old Bridge and it also co-funded the construction of flats and social housing in Slovakia.