RZB capital increase authorised.

New equity in support of further expansion in Austria and Central andEastern Europe.

Today, an extraordinary general meeting of Raiffeisen ZentralbankOesterreich AG (RZB) has passed the application for an equity increaseof up to€ 335.6 million. This corresponds to an increase of the subscribed capital of up to 24.1 per cent. 99.8 per cent of the voting capital was present. The resolution was passed unanimously.

The subscription ratio will be 83:10. Subscription rights on ordinaryshares will only be granted to existing ordinary shareholders. The firstpart of up to€ 167.8 million is supposed to be drawn by mid-November this year, the balance by 2009.

“The capital increase is an impressive mark of confidence of the Raiffeisen Banking Group to its central institution RZB“, says RZB’s Chairman of the Board of Management Walter Rothensteiner, referring to RZB’s outstanding performance in the past, its good strategic alignment and the resulting indicators for its further development. “RZB will use the new capital funds to support its further expansion in Austria and Central and Eastern Europe.“

RZB grows significantly faster than the market, while at the same timeshowing a positive development of its profitability ratios– both in Austria, where it is a leading corporate and investment bank, as well as in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), where it operates a network 15 subsidiary banks and two representative offices. This network gives it practically unbroken coverage of region. Moreover, RZB’s network banks are among the three largest banks in eight CEE markets.

Additionally, the capital of RZB’s subsidiary Raiffeisen International Bank-Holding AG (Raiffeisen International), the holding company of its banking network and leasing companies in CEE, was recently increased. The International Finance Corporation (IFC) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) have invested € 100 million each in Raiffeisen International.

The shareholders of RZB stake*

Raiffeisenlandesbank Niederoesterreich-Wien 31.39 %

Raiffeisenlandesbank Oberoesterreich 14.92 %

Raiffeisenlandesbank Steiermark 14.92 %

Raiffeisen-Landesbank Tirol 5.83 %

Raiffeisenverband Salzburg 5.79 %

Raiffeisenlandesbank Kaernten 5.62 %

Raiffeisenlandesbank Burgenland 4.61 %

Raiffeisenlandesbank Vorarlberg 4.58 %

ZVEZA Bank 0.04 %

Total Regional Raiffeisen Banks ** 87.70 %

Oesterreichische Volksbanken AG 5.05 %

UNIQA Versicherungen AG 2.59 %

RWA Raiffeisen Ware Austria 2.52 %

NOE Landesbank-Hypothekenbank AG 1.33 %

Landeshypothekenbank Steiermark AG 0.62 %

Hypo Tirol Bank AG 0.18 %

Other 0.01 %

Total other than Regional Raiffeisen Banks 12.30 %

Total 100.00 %

* Ordinary and preference shares held directly or indirectly; allfigures rounded to two decimal places.

** 81 per cent of whis held by R-Landesbanken-Beteilgungs-GmbH.