 Multi-borrower, multi-currency lending agreement  BCR supports economic growth by granting credits to steel producing industry Bucharest, November 9th, 2011 - Erste Group Bank AG and its Romanian subsidiary Banca Comerciala Romana (BCR) are granting a EUR 50 million loan to four Romanian steel production facilities, part of the Mechel holding. In 2010, iron & steel was one of the top 10 fastest growing industries in Romania, expanding by 35.1%. Over the next decade, iron & steel production in Romania is expected to continue growing by 4.1% a year on average. The loan agreement is one of multi-borrower, multi-currency type to finance the working capital, with collaterals (stocks and receivables) as well as with a letter of guarantee issued by the mother company Mechel OAO. The EUR 50 million represent the refinancing of some credits worth a total of EUR 35 million, to which a new financing line is added worth EUR 15 million. In the conditions of a still difficult local economic environment for many local companies, BCR wants to build up a sound relationship with its clients based on the help it is prepared to give in such moments. The steel production is an important drive of the economy, both due to its contribution to exports, and to the new jobs, energy and raw materials consumption generated at the domestic level. Mechel Group is hiring over 7,500 people in 5 towns of Romania and we believe it is BCR responsibility to support in this way the economic recovery, stated Diana Hudymač - Executive Director of Group Large Corporate Division within BCR. ‘'The expansion of our relationship with Erste Group is based on the positive experience between Erste Group and Mechel's Romanian production facilities, as well as on the solid corporate relationship we have. We already have a solid base for further cooperation. The new increased facility, in the current market condit