CROATIA - Islamic banks soon to arrive in Croatia

www.balkans.com - Islamic banks, banks which prohibit the payment or acceptance of interest or fees for loans of money, will soon arrive in Croatia. Dr. Sukrija Ramic, a member of the Sharia Board of the first Islamic bank on European soil, Bosna Bank International, has announced that legal regulations have been completed that will open the way for new Islamic banks to open in the region.  (source)

BOSNIA - HERZEGOVINA - ARTICLES - Efficiency of the Banking Sector Of Bosnia–Herzegovina with Special Reference to Relative Efficiency of the Existing Islamic Bank

8th International Conference on Islamic Economics and Finance

Efficiency of the Banking Sector Of Bosnia–Herzegovina with Special Reference to Relative Efficiency of the Existing Islamic Bank
Velid Efendić

The main aim of this research is to investigate how efficient is the only existing Islamic bank in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B-H) related to average efficiency of other banks from our sample. The analysis has been conducted on the sample of 18 conventional and one Islamic bank from data published by Banking Agency of Federation of B-H for 2009. The banking and economic environment of B-H as European, post-communist and transition country is of conventional type, and it has not been analyzed in this sense ever before. B-H has not made any regulatory or economic adoption in banking sector for developing of Islamic banking, so Islamic bank is treated as a conventional one. This research is conducted by using of nonparametric technique DEA (Data Envelopment Analysis) as a mostly used tool for analysis of efficiency in banking. We have used two output and three input analysis according to input oriented approach. According to majority of indicators, Islamic bank has lower efficiency comparing to their conventional counterparts. Also, we have done comparison and within the classes of banks that Islamic bank belongs to. In the class of foreign banks, and banks with assets up to quarter of billion of EUR, Islamic bank is again less efficient that their conventional counterparts. According to all efficiency indicators, there are a significant potential for efficiency improvements .(source)

TURKEY - BANKING - Bank Asya press conference

www.bankasya.com.tr - Bank Asya board member and general manager Mr. Abdullah CELİK held a press conference on 08.02.2012 and the main topics are listed below:

• Bank Asya continues ongoing negotiations with buyers regarding the sale of its Isik Sigorta (Insurance Subsidiary) shares. Depending on the offers, Bank Asya may sell entire of its shares. (source)

BOSNIA - HERZEGOVINA - SARAJEVO - Ilirika Emerging Europe Islamic Fund - presentation

Open ended investment fund 'Ilirika Emerging Europe Islamic Fund'
Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Presentation at Sarajevo Business Forum 2011
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BOSNIA - HERZEGOVINA - ARTICLES - Islamic Banking with a Closer Look at Bosnia and Herzegovina: Knowledge, Perceptions and Decisive Factors for Choosing Islamic Banking

Islamic Banking with a Closer Look at Bosnia and Herzegovina: Knowledge, Perceptions and Decisive Factors for Choosing Islamic Banking

Ugur Ergun and Irfan Djedovic

This study investigates the knowledge, perceptions and decisive factors for choosing Islamic banking in Bosnia and Herzegovina. In-depth and usual survey methods are used to identify the factors which influence the success of islamic banking applications based on the result from factor analysis. The sample is selected randomly among the users and non-users of the Islamic banking. The analysis' result indicates that general knowledge about Islamic banking is low. The perceptions of Islamic banking are not positive. Also, the results indicate that the religion is the most influential decisive factor for choosing the Islamic banking. (download link)

BANKING - Albaraka Turk Seeks Partnerships in Albania, Bosnia, Star Says

Albaraka Turk Katilim Bankasi AS, an Islamic bank based in Turkey, is in talks with two banks to set up strategic partnerships in Albania and Bosnia-Herzegovina, Star newspaper reported, citing Albaraka Turk Chairman Fahrettin Yahsi.(full story)