Saramet, FNGCIMM: Some banks irrationally asked for funding caps for First Home 2

16,500 Romanians have so far bought homes worth 803m euros, with state guarantees. Over 80% of First Home loans have been granted by only four banks, though. With practically zero risks and guarantee caps way above their absorption capacity, some banks are still not unfreezing lending and will not grant too many loans in 2010, either. "Some banks almost irrationally asked for caps in First Home 2 scheme. I will not name them, but in my opinion there's no way they could use them. Unused caps will be redistributed depending on what each bank records," stated the chairman of the National Guarantee Fund for SME Loans (FNGCIMM) Aurel Saramet. Bankers in their turn are saying the slow pace of lending is also caused by weak demand from customers, considering not many Romanians are willing to take up additional expenses during this period.