Admission to AIM

Equest Investments Bulgaria Ltd 20 December 2006 Equest Investments Bulgaria Limited (to be renamed 'Equest Investments Balkans Limited' following Admission) £43.9 million fundraising and admission to trading on AIM The Board of Equest Investments Bulgaria Limited ('EIBL' or the 'Company'), today announces that the placing by Collins Stewart Europe Limited ('Collins Stewart') raised gross proceeds of £43.9 million through the issue of 3,630,000 ordinary shares at £12.10 per ordinary Share ('Ordinary Shares') (equivalent to €17.86 per Ordinary Share). The Company's issued share capital now comprises 17,324,350 ordinary shares of no par value. All of the Ordinary Shares in the Company have today been admitted to trading on AIM. The new Ordinary Shares have also today been admitted to trading on the Irish Stock Exchange. The Company has to date invested and committed over EUR 130 million in equity or equity related investments in developing enterprises, organised or operating primarily in Bulgaria, and to a limited extent, in other countries in the Balkan region. The Company's investment objective is now to provide Shareholders with long term capital growth by investing in equity or equity related securities in developing enterprises organised or operated or operating in other countries, in addition to Romania and Bulgaria, such as Albania, Croatia, FYR Macedonia, the Republic of Montenegro, the Republic of Serbia, Slovenia, Ukraine and Turkey (the 'Target Region'). EIBL's strategic holdings include - Vitosha Insurance, the fifth largest insurance company in Bulgaria; Immofinance, a Bulgarian residential and second home developer; Pelican Retail Holding, a development company for retail centres; Avto Union, one of the leading local automotive importers and distributors; and Familia Stores, one of the leading Bulgarian local food retail operators. EIBL also now owns 75 per cent. of Lynx Property BV, which owns 100% of the subsidiaries trading as Technomarket (the 'Technomarket Group'). The Technomarket Group is Bulgaria's largest wholesaler and retailer of consumer and home appliances. As at 15 October 2006, being the date of the latest published net asset value of the Company, the Company's net asset value per Ordinary Share was €17.79. EIBL is to be renamed Equest Investments Balkans Limited following Admission. The name change is expected to become effective later today and be reflected on the trading systems with effect from 21 December 2006. The AIM ticker symbol is EIB. Commenting on the Placing, Mr. Petri Karjalainen, a Director of EIBL and Managing Partner of Equest Partners Limited, the Investment Adviser to EIBL, said: 'We are delighted with the outcome of the placing and look forward to progressing the next phase of the Company's development. EIBL is already one of the leading investment companies in the region and our strong pipeline of investment opportunities provides considerable optimism for further successful growth.' For further information please contact: EIBL Petri Karjalainen +44 (0)7811 200 885 Naomi Kora +44 (0)20 7240 7600 Financial Dynamics Ed Gascoigne-Pees +44 (0)20 7269 7132 Nick Henderson +44 (0)20 7269 7114 Collins Stewart Europe Limited Hugh Field +44 (0) 20 7523 8325 EIBL is managed by Equest Capital Management Limited ('Equest Capital'), a British Virgin Islands company. Equest Capital is advised by Equest Partners Limited, an English company which was founded in 2001 in London by Managing Partners Kari Haataja and Petri Karjalainen. George Krumov joined Equest Partners Limited as a Managing Partner in 2002. Equest Partners Limited is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Equest Partners Limited provides investment and corporate advisory services to investment companies and stock market listed companies. Equest Partners Limited and its group of companies employs more than 30 professionals located in its headquarters in London and offices in Sofia (Bulgaria), Bucharest (Romania) and Belgrade (Serbia). Collins Stewart Europe Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority in the conduct of investment business, is acting exclusively for Equest Investments Bulgaria Limited and for no-one else in connection with the placing and will not be responsible to anyone other than Equest Investments Bulgaria Limited for providing the protections afforded to customers of Collins Stewart Europe Limited or for providing advice in relation to the issue. 20 December 2006 ENDS This information is provided by RNS The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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