20 non-banking companies granted licences to provide loans

Prosecutor-General Jaromír Čižnár has asked Slovak central bank (NBS) governor Jozef Makúch to send him a current list of all licensed non-banking financial institutions, as information has been spreading that many firms are active without a licence. "The Slovak central bank has received a letter from Slovakia's prosecutor-general, which will be attended to in line with the rules of cooperation between particular authorities", said NBS spokesperson Martina Solčányiová. At the same time Solčányiová stated that if NBS finds out that a crime has been committed, it will immediately report this to the relevant authorities. "A list of institutions with legitimate licences to provide consumer loans is published on NBS's website and is regularly updated. Proceedings on licence approvals are not to be disclosed", added Solčányiová. The list of institutions that have been granted licences is currently made up of 20 companies, including Cetelem Slovakia, Cofidis, Consumer Finance Holding, Pohotovost ('Emergency'), Provident Financial and various leasing companies.