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Add to Preferred SourcesThe European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has signed a €40 million portfolio guarantee with Libra Internet Bank in Romania under the EU’s InvestEU programme, in what marks the EBRD’s first InvestEU facility in Romania’s financial sector, the bank said. Backed by Romania’s Recovery and Resilience Facility funding, the deal will unlock €50 million in financing for green projects focused on energy-efficient buildings and cleaner transport.
Libra Internet Bank is a mid-sized Romanian lender with a growing appetite for green finance and a solid reputation for digital innovation. The EBRD guarantee reduces the risk on Libra’s green loan portfolio, giving the bank room to lend more boldly to households and businesses that want to cut energy costs and lower emissions — projects that often struggle to attract financing without some form of public backing.
“By broadening access to finance for energy-efficient buildings and cleaner transport, we are helping Romanian households and businesses save costs, reduce emissions, and become more sustainable,” said EBRD Head of Romania Victoria Zinchuk.
Libra CEO Cristina Mahika-Voiconi said the partnership reflects the bank’s “strong commitment to supporting the transition towards a low-carbon economy” and will help turn business plans into tangible results for clients and communities.
Beyond the guarantee itself, the EBRD will deliver technical assistance to Libra and its borrowers through the InvestEU Advisory Hub to strengthen green lending operations. The package also includes support under the EBRD’s Digital Transformation Programme, helping Libra build internal AI tools to improve customer experience.
The EBRD has been one of Romania’s most active institutional investors for decades, with more than €12.4 billion committed across 589 projects in the country to date.