European Investment Bank Appoints Marko Primorac as Vice President Strengthening Leadership and Expanding Croatian Representation

European Investment Bank Appoints Marko Primorac as Vice President Strengthening Leadership and Expanding Croatian Representation

(IN BRIEF) The European Investment Bank has appointed Marko Primorac as Vice-President, making him the first Croatian representative to join the institution’s Management Committee. Nominated by the Croatian government, Primorac brings extensive experience in public finance, having served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance since 2022. His tenure saw Croatia achieve key milestones, including meeting Maastricht fiscal criteria, improving its credit rating, and joining both the euro area and the Schengen zone. In his new role, he will represent Croatia, Hungary, and Poland, contributing to the EIB’s efforts to advance EU priorities such as resilience, competitiveness, and the green transition. The EIB continues to play a major role in financing projects across Europe, with significant investments in Croatia spanning decades and a strong focus on sustainability, innovation, and economic development.

(PRESS RELEASE) LUXEMBOURG, 18-Mar-2026 — /EuropaWire/ — European Investment Bank has appointed Marko Primorac as a new Vice-President, marking the first time Croatia is represented at this level within the institution. He joins the EIB’s Management Committee, succeeding Teresa Czerwińska of Poland.

The appointment was confirmed by the EIB Board of Governors, which is made up of finance ministers from all 27 European Union Member States. Primorac was nominated by the Croatian government, where he has served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance since 2022. In his new role, he will be one of eight Vice-Presidents and will represent Croatia, Hungary, and Poland within the Bank’s leadership structure.

EIB President Nadia Calviño highlighted Primorac’s extensive background in public finance at both national and European levels, noting that his experience will strengthen the institution’s ability to support key EU priorities. Primorac expressed his readiness to take on the role at a time when investment in resilience, competitiveness, and the green transition remains central to Europe’s agenda. He emphasized his commitment to contributing to the Bank’s mission across all Member States while supporting sustainable economic growth and competitiveness.

During his tenure as Croatia’s Finance Minister, Primorac played a key role in achieving several significant milestones for the country. These include meeting the Maastricht fiscal criteria for the first time, improving Croatia’s sovereign credit rating to “A,” and successfully overseeing the country’s accession to both the euro area and the Schengen zone.

Prior to entering government, Primorac built an academic career as an associate professor at the Faculty of Economics and Business at the University of Zagreb, focusing on public finance and fiscal policy. He has also held positions in international financial institutions, including involvement with the European Investment Bank in governance capacities.

The EIB has maintained a long-standing presence in Croatia since 1977, with total investments exceeding €11 billion. Its financing has supported a wide range of sectors, including climate action, renewable energy, sustainable transport, and social infrastructure, alongside advisory services aimed at attracting further investment and EU funding.

Background information

EIB Group 

The European Investment Bank (ElB) Group is the financing arm of the European Union, owned by the 27 Member States, and one of the largest multilateral development banks in the world. In 2025, the EIB Group signed €100 billion of new financing and advisory services for over 870 high-impact projects in eight core priorities that support EU policy objectives: climate action and the environment, digitalisation and technological innovation, security and defence, territorial cohesion, agriculture and the bioeconomy, social infrastructure, strong global partnerships and the savings and investment union. Beyond long-term loans for large infrastructure, the EIB Group crowds-in private investment for high-risk innovative projects and businesses, with a growing role in Europe’s markets for venture debt, venture capital, guarantees and securitisations.

The European Investment Fund (EIF) is the subsidiary of the EIB Group specialised in providing guarantees and equity to improve access to finance for small and medium-sized businesses and startups across Europe. Acting as an anchor investor and through its extensive network of partnering banks and investment funds, the EIF mobilises private investment and nurtures the ecosystem of venture capital funds to support innovative European entrepreneurs.

In 2023, the EIF together with six member states (France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium and the Netherlands) launched the European Tech Champions Initiative, a fund of funds to scale up innovative startups. This initiative has already enabled the creation of 14 European venture capital mega-funds and scaled up 40 companies, including 11 unicorns (with more than €1 billion in capital).  

Media contacts:

Tibor Jona
t.jona@eib.org
+352 4379 84105

Press Office
press@eib.org
+352 43791

SOURCE: European Investment Bank