EFG Eurobank, as originator and transferor, successfully launched and priced yesterday its small business loans securitization, issued by ANAPTYXI 2006-1 PLC, a public limited company in the United Kingdom.
The securities were rated by the rating agencies Standard & Poor''s and Moody''s. Specifically, the Euro 1,750 million Class A Notes received the highest possible rating of AAA/Aaa (with coupon three month Euribor + 17bps); the Euro 150million Class B Notes were rated A/A1 (with coupon three month Euribor + 40bps); the Euro 125million Class C Notes were rated BBB/Baa1 (with coupon three month Euribor + 75bps) and the Euro 225million Class D Notes were rated BB/Ba2 (with coupon three month Euribor + 250bps). The funds raised by the securitization will be used to cover part of the Bank''s funding programme.
It is worth mentioning that this is the first small business loans securitisation transaction from a Greek bank. The European Investment Bank (EIB) is supporting this transaction as an investor in the Class A notes as part of its wider objective of supporting SME lending in Greece. Eurobank EFG has undertaken the responsibility to use an amount equivalent to the proceeds from EIB''s investment for the financing of new SME projects which fulfill EIB''s eligibility criteria.
The transaction was arranged by Deutsche Bank AG London and EFG Telesis Finance S.A., Joint Lead Managers were Deutsche Bank AG London, EFG Telesis Finance S.A. and Merrill Lynch International and Co Lead manager was DZ Bank.
Roadshow meetings and presentations were held with institutional investors in London, Paris and Brussels.
For Eurobank EFG this is the fifth securitisation transaction, following the three residential mortgage-backed securitisation transactions for a total issue size of Euro 2,500 million and the credit card securitisation of Euro 750 million.

Marfin Financial Group announces that former Chairman of the Cyprus Popular Bank Public Company Ltd. (Laiki Group), Mr. Kikis Lazarides, who was ousted recently from the Board of Directors of the Company, gave a press conference in Cyprus yesterday condemning the planned three-way merger and personally attacking Marfin Financial Group''''s CEO using unfounded allegations. The Board of Directors of Laiki Group responded immediately by issuing the following statement, announced to the press by Mr. Platon Lanitis, board Member and largest individual shareholder of Laiki Group:
"The Board of Directors of Laiki Group unanimously condemns the false accusations made today by Mr. Kikis Lazarides which were obviously planned to create impressions ahead of the release of the findings of the Audit Committee of the bank which is conducting an internal investigation on Mr. Lazarides actions during his tenure. Since various documents and witnesses prove that the accusations made by Mr. Lazarides are totally unfounded, the Board of Directors of Laiki Group is determined to safeguard the interests and legal rights of all employees and shareholders of Laiki Group using all necessary legal means".
Commenting on the latest developments in Cyprus, ahead of today''''s Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of Laiki Group, which will convene to approve among others the share capital increase for the purposes of creating Marfin Popular Bank, Mr. Andreas Vgenopoulos, CEO of Marfin Financial Group stated:
"We are witnessing the unraveling of a well orchestrated plan which through the use of unusual tactics aims to create false impressions ahead of the Extraordinary General Meeting of Shareholders of Laiki Group. These actions cannot cause any significant obstacles to the building of the new group since the overwhelming majority of Laiki Group''s shareholders is in favour of the share capital increase, as proposed by the Board of Directors, and consequently of the creation of Marfin Popular Bank".

In accordance with Regulation of the Committee of European Community no 2273/2003, article 4, par.4, EFG Eurobank Ergasias S.A. ("the Bank") announces that according to Company Law 2190/1920, article 16, par. 5, and following the decision of the Annual General Meeting of the Shareholders of the Bank dated April 3, 2006 and the Board of Directors'' resolution dated April 14, 2006, purchased own shares through the Athens Exchange Member EFG Eurobank Securities, as follows:
a) On 16 October 2006 the Bank purchased 66,500 shares, with average cost price Euro 26.39 per share and total purchase price Euro 1,754,694.18.
b) On 17 October 2006 the Bank purchased 41,250 shares, with average cost price Euro 26.17 per share and total purchase price Euro 1,079,603.61.
c) On 18 October 2006 the Bank purchased 38,500 shares, with average cost price Euro 26.23 per share and total purchase price Euro 1,009,837.79.
d) On 19 October 2006 the Bank purchased 46,537 shares, with average cost price Euro 26.23 per share and total purchase price Euro 1,220,486.28.
e) On 20 October 2006 the Bank purchased 2,500 shares, with average cost price Euro 26.19 per share and total purchase price Euro 65,484.61.
f) On 23 October 2006 the Bank purchased 6,000 shares, with average cost price Euro 26.20 per share and total purchase price Euro 157,191.10.

The Diagnostic and Therapeutic Center of Athens Hygeia S.A. announces its agreement with Mr. S. Duraku and the Eurodrini Sh.A. Company, whose primary objective is to construct and operate the First Private Hospital in Albania and, the future development of a network of health services facilities in the neighboring countries of Montenegro and FYROM.
The agreement calls for the creation of a S.A. Company, in which Hygeia will participate with 80% and Mr. S. Duraku with 20%. The Company will complete the construction of the approximately 140-bed general hospital and open within 18 months. The property of 15.000 [square metres] has existing partially constructed buildings of approximately 10.000 [square metres]. The real estate is located at a junction of major traffic arteries in Tirana.
The General Hospital will have modern laboratories of various types (diagnostic and imaging), as well as consolidated outpatient clinic facilities, emergency room, and surgery and medicine clinics. Additionally, there will also be a comprehensive Obstetrics and Gynecology Unit.
Hygeia estimates that the total investment required to execute the agreement and the business plan relating to the hospital in Tirana is in the range of 30 million euro, taking into account the value of the property and the partially constructed buildings. Hygeia will participate initially in the amount of 24.000.000 euro which will be funded in part by the Company''s approved share capital increase program, by the issuance of straight and/or convertible bond loan.

Pursuant to paragraph 2 (a) of article 24 of L. 3461/2006, Credit Agricole S.A. hereby notifies the Hellenic Capital Market Commission and the Athens Exchange that:
(1) On October 23, 2006, Credit Agricole S.A. acquired, at the price of euro 2.18 each, 60,905 common registered voting shares of the company "Phoenix Metrolife Emporiki S.A." (the "Company"), representing approximately 0.07% of the Company''s voting rights;
(2) Prior to the above acquisition, Credit Agricole S.A. controlled directly and indirectly (as a result of the acquisition of control in Emporiki Bank of Greece S.A.) approximately 96.33% of the Company''s voting rights;
(3) Following the above acquisition, Credit Agricole S.A. controls directly and indirectly approximately 96.40% of the Company''s voting rights.

Marfin Financial Group would like to inform its shareholders and the investor community that the Extraordinary General Meeting of shareholders of Cyprus Popular Bank Public Company Ltd. (Laiki), has been postponed for one week and specifically for Tuesday 31 October 2006 at 5pm.
The postponement was proposed by Marfin Financial Group and Mr. Platon Lanitis, with the agreement of the Board of Directors of Laiki, in order to satisfy the requests of some minority shareholders for additional information on the transaction.
Commenting on this latest development, the CEO of Marfin Financial Group Mr. Andreas Vgenopoulos made the following statement:
Due to the organised plan for the creation of false impressions which we have already condemned alongside with Mr. Lanitis, as shareholders, and with the unanimous decision of the Board of Directors of Laiki, we have decided to deprive a limited number of minority shareholders from their argument of a supposed lack of sufficient information. In today''s EGM, 52.36% of Laiki''s shareholders were present 48.92% of which through Power of Attorney. I would like to reiterate my confidence that the overwhelming majority of Laiki''s shareholders are in favour of the share capital increase recommended by the Board of Directors and the creation of Marfin Popular Bank.