SDA calls on Hypo Bank to offer conversion of Swiss franc loans into BAM

The sudden and extremely high rise in the exchange rate of the Swiss franc has put thousands of citizens in BiH, who are users of loans with a currency clause in Swiss francs, in an extremely difficult situation, which requires an urgent response from the relevant government institutions, reports the Patria news agency.

Given that all these loans were placed by Hypo Alpe Adria Bank, the SDA calls on this bank to show social responsibility and within seven days offer the conversion of these loans into loans in convertible marks or loans with a currency clause in euros, under conditions acceptable to loan users.

If Hypo Alpe Adria Bank, in agreement with loan users, does not find an acceptable solution within the stated period, the SDA will initiate a procedure in the Government and Parliament of the Federation for the urgent adoption of legal solutions that will fix the exchange rate of the Swiss franc against the convertible mark for these loans for a certain period.

In order to ensure that loan users never again find themselves in the situation faced by users of loans with a currency clause in Swiss francs, the SDA will also initiate a procedure in the Government and Parliament of the Federation for the adoption of legal solutions that will prohibit banks from placing loans with a currency clause in any foreign currency other than the euro, given that under the Law on the Central Bank of BiH, the exchange rate of the convertible mark is fixed to the euro as the "anchor currency", the SDA statement said.