Press Release: State aid: Commission temporarily approves a second recapitalisation in favour of NLB and opens in-depth investigation on the restructuring plan of the bank

The European Commission on 2 July 2012 temporarily approved, under EU State aid rules, an additional capital injection of €382.9 million to Nova Ljubljanska Banka Group (NLB) for reasons of financial stability. At the same time, the Commission opened an in-depth investigation into the bank's restructuring plan that was submitted after the first recapitalisation.

At this stage, the Commission has doubts that the plan adequately addresses the causes for NLB's distress or foresees sufficient safeguards to limit the distortions of competition created by the state support. The opening of an in-depth investigation gives interested third parties the opportunity to comment on the measures under examination; it does not prejudge the outcome of the investigation.