“The Polish group became a full-fledged shareholder of RIB starting yesterday (Wednesday –e.n.),” Nicolae Cinteza, the head of the central bank’s Supervisory Department, told a banking seminar.
Cinteza said his main concern is the ability of the new shareholder to sustain the lender, considering that RIB’s former owners complained two months ago that they could not longer sustain the bank. He also said that finding a buyer was due to sheer luck and sustained efforts both from the central bank and from RIB’s owners.
He added, however, that no other lenders in the local banking system are facing such problems.
Cinteza highlighted the solvency level is so high and the risk-taking level is so low that it is unlikely to face similar cases like RIB’s in the future.
In October, banking sources told MEDIAFAX that RIB will be taken over by Getin Holding, which operates in Poland, Russia, Ukraine, Belarus.
Getin Holding is 55.8% owned by businessman Leszek Czarnecki and is one of the largest companies listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.
RIB was controlled by US citizens Daniel and Florina Roberts, each with a 44.7% stake.
RIB has assets worth 436.4 million lei (EUR98.4 million). Founded in 1998, the bank runs 34 branches nationwide servicing about 80,000 customers, according to Getin.
RIB has a share capital of RON55.2 million and reported loss of RON10.8 million at the end of 2012.