Liberty Bank's announcement about the passing away of Dinu Patriciu:

It is with great sadness that we wish to inform you that Dinu Patriciu, a prominent Romanian businessman and majority shareholder of Liberty Bank passed away yesterday after a protracted battle with a serious disease. Mr. Patriciu was 64.

Georgia has lost a prominent investor and we have lost a supporter and a friend. Mr. Patriciu will be in our thoughts and prayers, and we express our condolences to his family.

Due to his illness, Mr. Patriciu has not been actively involved with the bank in the past couple of years. His passing away has not affected, and will not affect, the daily operations of Liberty Bank in any way, as the bank continues to execute its profitable growth strategy focusing on the mass retail market in Georgia.

We will inform the public in due course as to who will replace Mr. Patriciu in the bank's supervisory board.