According to BNB statistics, impaired* loans decreased by BGN 71m to BGN 9.56bn in March 2013 to 22.52% of loans (net excl. Overdraft) from 22.63% the previous month. The monthly decrease in impaired loans came at 0.74% against a decrease by 0.21% in February and an increase by 0.5% in January. On an annual basis, impaired loans marked a decrease by 1% in March after many years of increases. Impaired corporate loans decreased by BGN 47m MoM (24.6% of the corporate loan portfolio), impaired consumer loans decreased by BGN 21.7m MoM (16.2% of consumer loans) and impaired mortgage loans were up by BGN 682k in March to 21.3% of mortgage loans. Loans classified under Other impaired shrank by BGN 3.2m MoM. The aggregate loan portfolio of the banking system was down by 0.04% MoM to BGN 53.39bn. The loan portfolio was up by 2.3% on an annual basis, driven by corporate loans which grew 4.3% YoY, consumer loans shrank by 3% over the year and mortgage loans advanced 1.3% YoY. *Impaired loans – loans overdue by more than 90 days and restructured loans