European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) would lend small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) working for protection of territories included in Natura 2000 network in Bulgaria.

Natura 2000 is European environment protection network. About 28 per cent of Bulgaria’s territory is to be included in the network, Dnevnik daily reported.

Bulgarian Society for the Protection of Birds executive director Boris Burov said  that EBRD would start lending through local commercial banks at preferential interest in 2008.

SMEs willing to receive an EBRD loan will have to fill in questionnaire to show how their activity will affect species protection.

Loans will be granted to SMEs that refrain from harming natural resources, Dnevnik said.

EBRD has already launched such projects in Hungary and Poland, Dnevnik said.