New law could create financial headaches for leasing companies

The Bank of Information on Unreliable Clients (BINK), a leasing enterprise, has been putting the finishing touches to its data system and should become operational within the next few days. It is possible that BINK will have to cease its activity within a few months due to a bill regulating the access to commercial information which will probably come into force in April. The bill would only allow Banks of Commercial Information (BIG) to gather and trade information concerning liabilities. The minimum initial capital to form a BIG is zl. 4 million, which means leasing companies might have to prepare themselves for heavy costs if they intend to engage in such activities directly. "We are ready to co-finance such a company if necessary," declared Ryszard Barski, the President of Polish Leasing. Unreliable clients now present a larger problems for leasing companies than economic stagnation. (Puls Biznesu, p. 9) K.Z.