NBS announced pressing of criminal charges against managers of "HVB" and "Raiffeisen" banks in Serbia

- National Bank of Serbia (NBS) will press charges against responsible managers in "HVB" and "Raiffeisen" banks because they have raised interest rates on the current loans' repayment and explained that as the reaction to the measures passed by NBS - Governor Radovan Jelašić stated.

He pointed out that it was not fair that inaccurate information were given to the citizens in that way and that the NBS was used as the excuse for increase in interest rates.

According to his words, during last two weeks, 90% of all citizens' calls to the Info center of NBS were about these two banks, all that in regards to the banks' announcements, directed to clients, saying that the interest rates will be raised after the passing of the latest measures of the central bank about increase in mandatory reserves.

Asked what the concrete measures of NBS would be, Jelašić responded that the measures would be from the area of the supervision of banks and that, starting October 1, 2006, central bank would be able to fine the banks itself.