Tirana, 29 June 2007 – Intesa Sanpaolo and the Albanian American Enterprise Fund (AAEF), single shareholder of the American Bank of Albania (ABA) leader in corporate and private banking services, conducted today the “Official Signing of the Participation of Intesa Sanpaolo into the American Bank of Albania”, for the sale of 80% shares of the Bank, with puts and calls for the remaining 20% at the end of 2009.

The price agreed by the two parties is US$ 156,9 million, a multiple of 3.65 times net equity or 10.46 per share.

On the 20th and 21st of December 2006, both parties signed the Share Purchase Agreement and the Shareholder Agreement, for the sale of 12,000,000 shares of the Bank, equal to 80% of the shares outstanding.

The transaction was subject to the authorizations of the Bank of Italy, Albanian Competition Authority and Bank of Albania, which were successfully received in the following months.

ABA has over 4,000 corporate and more than 70,000 retail customers (total over 74,000) with a network of 22 branches (two in Greece) and over 370 employees. Total assets of ABA amount to US$ 884 million.

Intesa Sanpaolo through this participation in the American Bank of Albania reinforces its presence in Albania and Greece.

This is the biggest foreign direct investment made in Albania so far.