More than 300 entrepreneurs will benefit from grants to develop their business through the EU for SMEs project
More than 300 entrepreneurs will benefit from grants to grow their business through the EU for SMEs project. The Ministry of Economic Development and Digitisation in collaboration with the Entrepreneurship Development Organisation launched the programme at a press conference today. The project is an additional opportunity to support small and medium-sized businesses in Moldova and is worth €8 million, said Janis Mažeiks, Ambassador of the European Union to Moldova, who attended the launch event.
The money provided by the EU complements the state's investment in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Moldova and will include several support programmes, said the Director of the Entrepreneurship Development Organisation, Dumitru Pîntea.
"The EU support comes to capitalize on several grant programs, already existing and implemented by ODA so far, supported from the state budget. Programmes dedicated to start-ups with small grants, up to 250 thousand lei; two medium grant programmes, up to 500 thousand lei, here we are talking about digital transformation and business greening. And a large grant programme of up to €100,000 to speed up production processes in companies, to develop their capabilities," Dumitru Pîntea said.
The authorities want better development of small and medium-sized businesses in all regions of Moldova, and this programme will support small entrepreneurs, said Dumitru Alaiba, Minister of Economic Development and Digitisation.
"We will support at least 300 entrepreneurs in their efforts to take big steps towards development, attracting investment, primarily companies in rural areas, outside Chisinau. We are doing this because we need growth poles, a clear action to take economic growth outside Chisinau", said Dumitru Alaiba.
EU Ambassador to Moldova Janis Mažeiks said that this is not the first project to support small and medium-sized enterprises with EU funds, but it is the biggest so far.
"We will continue to support and even extend the support we offer to the Republic of Moldova and other countries in the region. Following the European Commission's review of the multiannual financial framework, €600 million is to be provided to support the Eastern Partnership countries. In fact, this initial programme was designed to support Ukraine, but this aid will be extended to Moldova as well, so there will still be more opportunities," said Janis Mažeiks.
The European Union will allocate €8 million in non-reimbursable co-financing for seven state programmes of direct support to entrepreneurship implemented by the Organisation for the Development of Entrepreneurship (ODA). A grant agreement between the EU and the Republic of Moldova was signed in May. This funding will help to improve the investment climate, facilitate the integration of people into the labour market and create a favourable business environment for SMEs. The project will focus on rural localities, where there is very high growth potential.
