(Alliance News) - BPER Banca Spa announced on Thursday that it has raised EUR4.0 million for the Italian Red Cross to assist and support the people affected by the severe flooding and inundation in recent weeks. The fundraising for the "United for Emilia- Romagna" project was achieved "thanks to the sensitivity and generosity of customers and employees of the BPER Banca Group" and reached EUR2.0 million, an amount that BPER Banca has decided to double by adding an additional EUR2.0 million.

The president of BPER Banca, Flavia Mazzarella, comments on the results of the subscription as follows: "We are proud to be able to contribute, together with our customers and employees who have adhered with great generosity to the fundraising we have promoted in recent days, to the support of the flooded populations of Emilia-Romagna, in collaboration with the Italian Red Cross. The response and support received directly from people and communities to the initiative promoted by BPER Banca has been extraordinary. This fundraiser," Mazzarella continued, "has been an example of how important it is to deal with these emergency and difficult situations by joining forces and rallying around the value of solidarity. The amount raised will help support the valuable work of the Red Cross in supporting the affected populations in their challenges of reconstruction and rebirth."

In addition to the launch of the fundraiser, in the hours immediately following the floods, BPER Banca made available to households and businesses a series of facilities and extraordinary financing, which will be further extended and enhanced in the coming days: up to EUR20,000 for individuals and EUR100,000 for small and medium-sized businesses, with a duration of up to 36 months.

For amounts not exceeding EUR10,000, the bank explains, the zero rate will be applied for the first 12 months. All activities have also been initiated for the suspension of payment of outstanding loans of households and businesses that have suffered damages, in accordance with the government measures that will eventually be implemented in this regard, the note further reads.

BPER Bank closed Thursday in a fractional green at EUR2.50 per share.

By Chiara Bruschi, Alliance News reporter

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