Third payment request for its loan leg Recovery and Resilience Fund (THE A), amounting to 1.84 billion euros, submitted today Wednesday to the European Commission, the Deputy Minister of National Economy and Finance, responsible for the Recovery Fund, Nikos Papathanasis.

The third payment request from the grants section is already being evaluated by the European Commission. Therefore, the total disbursements expected in the next period from the Recovery Fund to our country they amount to 3.56 billion euros.

The third payment request for the loan tranche was submitted, since the goal of contracting loans of the Recovery Fund, amounting to 3.52 billion euros, was reached earlier than planned.

The loan program of the Recovery Fund – Greece 2.0 is in particularly high demand from businesses of all sizes, as TAA loans are granted with a fixed lending rate of 0.35% for micro and small enterprises and 1% for medium and large ones, amid a rapid increase in interest rates and the cost of capital at an international level. It is noted that 244 contracts have been signed to date, of which 115 (47%) are loans to small and medium enterprises with a total budget of 1.33 billion euros. The average interest rate of the loan contracts is 1.93% and the average loan repayment period is 13.4 years.

On the occasion of the filing of the third payment request, Mr. Papathanasis stated: “The third payment request for the loan component of the Recovery and Resilience Fund (RDF), amounting to 1.84 billion euros, is another proof that the country is fulfilling the goals and is consistent with the milestones that have been set in the framework of the operation of the RDF.

»This request is submitted a few hours after the European Commission’s positive assessment of the revised National Recovery and Resilience Plan Greece 2.0, amounting to 36 billion euros. And then the successful completion of all the prerequisites for the disbursement of 1.7 billion euros in the subsidy section from the TAA.

»The aim is to further strengthen sustainable development and the strengthening of entrepreneurship, which in turn, will lead to even more and better paid jobs for all our fellow citizens, primarily for young women and men, to the creation of even greater fiscal space to support households and businesses”.

For his part, the commander of the Recovery Fund, Orestis Kavalakis, said: “The loan program of the Recovery Fund is an investment financing opportunity for all businesses as in an international context of increased borrowing costs it grants really low-interest loans with fast procedures. Today’s payment request demonstrates that businesses are seizing this opportunity by investing in the future for the benefit of the economy and creating new jobs for the benefit of society.”