Stockholm - The Swedish government Tuesday unveiled a 50- billion-kronor (5.9 billion dollars) package tailored for commercial banks to free up more credits for households and companies.

"It is still difficult for businesses to get credits," Financial Markets Minister Mats Odell said at a joint news conference with Finance Minister Anders Borg.

Banks seeking to issue new shares could also apply for funds from the programme. If the state's stake was above 70 per cent of the new shares, it could decide on restrictions concerning bonus payments and other benefits to executives, the cabinet members said.

"We are not giving away money, the terms are commercial," Borg said.

In November the government launched a guarantee programme for bank lending. So far only one of the four major Swedish banking groups, Swedbank, has signed on to that programme. (dpa)