AS Balti Investeeringute Grupp (BIG), a financial enterprise offering loans to private persons, will open its branch office in Valga in the new Selver building on Thursday.

BIG's Valga branch is the 11th office of the enterprise in Estonia and third in Southern Estonia. This year BIG has already opened branches in Jõhvi, Viljandi and Sillamäe.

According to Targo Raus, Chairman of the Board of BIG, BIG's services are primarily directed at those who need a loan but for some reason have remained outside the focus scope of large universal banks. "The strength of BIG is our greater degree of flexibility; we have stressed the easier availability of our services and a more personal approach to satisfying the needs of every client," said Raus.

AS Balti Investeeringute Grupp is the largest specialised lender of money to private clients in the Baltic States after banks and leasing companies. During the first six months of 2005, BIG issued loans in Estonia totalling 132.8 million kroons, a 54% increase compared to the same period last year. At the same time, BIG's client base increased by over 58% compared to the figure for that period last year.

This week BIG has also begun its activities in the retail sector - it is offering the possibility to conclude a contract with BIG to pay for desired goods or services directly at the merchant's outlet. The first location where this BIG financing option can be formalised is the Enter IT-Market retail chain of stores selling digital goods, while plans are also in place to expand the circle of BIG's partners and stores in a cooperation agreement to 50 by the end of the year.

Additional information:
Targo Raus
Chairman of the Board
Phone: 6309 938
Email: targo.raus@big.ee