The portfolio of the Investors Compensation Fund stood at over 4.5 million Bulgarian leva by December 1, "Dnevnik" daily said on Monday citing the fund's Management Board Chairman Mileti Mladenov.

Part of the funds, 3.6 million leva, represent the regular annual contributions paid by investment intermediaries. The sum includes also additional one-off entrance fees and the profitability of their investment. The last contributions of the investment intermediaries are for September.

The Investors Compensation Fund in Bulgaria aims at increasing the credibility of the Bulgarian capital market, its development and stability by providing compensation to clients of financial intermediaries as well as their branches in host countries in cases when the investment intermediary is not able to perform its obligations to the clients due to reasons related to its financial state. The Fund was established in 1995 and there has not been any case of payment of compensations under the Fund's scheme so far.

The limit of compensation funds this year stands at 30,000 leva per person. The EU standard minimal level of 20,000 euro will be introduced after 2009. The EU limit for compensation of bank deposits stands 50,000 euro, while in Bulgaria it is up to 100,000 leva.