Moldova secures €26M in EU grants to boost businesses
Seventy-five entrepreneurs from the Republic of Moldova have received over 26 million lei in non-repayable grants through EU-funded programs managed by the Organization for Entrepreneurship Development (ODA).
Beneficiaries emphasize that in the current economic climate, this financial support is crucial for business growth and risk mitigation.
Dmitri Galiliuk, one of the grant recipients, plans to invest the funds in expanding his furniture manufacturing business. With a grant exceeding 600,000 lei, he will acquire innovative equipment designed to enhance the quality and efficiency of technical designs.
“This support is highly effective for us, furniture manufacturers. We’ve now received a second grant—the first one helped us expand into new markets. Today, we operate in Romania and even the United Arab Emirates. This new funding will allow us to implement modern solutions, specifically by acquiring equipment that enables us to create higher-quality designs in less time,” Galiliuk explained.
State Secretary of the Ministry of Economy and Regional Development, Eugen Harabara, highlighted that the financial aid will contribute to job creation, economic growth, and national prosperity. He also noted that business support will increase in the coming years under the European Commission’s €1.9 billion Growth Plan for Moldova.
“In the next few years, financial support will be significantly increased, particularly in the context of the new Growth Plan. Details will be announced soon, but I can assure you that both financial and technical assistance will grow exponentially compared to previous years. In just the first three months of this year, ODA has already awarded more than 136 contracts to various companies. We aim to provide continuous support, and by the end of the year, we hope to double this number,” Harabara stated.
Moldova’s integration into the European Union is expected to unlock numerous opportunities, particularly for businesses that will gain access to the EU market, according to Miroslav Bozic, Programme Officer at the EU Delegation in Moldova. He emphasized that EU member states will continue supporting Moldova’s development.
“I can point to examples of smaller countries like Slovenia and Croatia. They joined the EU and the single market and saw a positive impact on their development. If we look at the numbers, two-thirds of Moldova’s exports already go to the EU, while 50% of imports come from EU member states. This means that Moldova’s integration into the EU and the single market is already at an advanced stage. Imagine what will happen once this integration deepens further. Ultimately, this process brings opportunities—opportunities, and once again, opportunities,” Bozic remarked.
Funds from the Moldovan government and the European Union will be allocated to various development initiatives through ODA programs, including digital transformation, reindustrialization, the Women’s Entrepreneurship Support Program, and the PARE 1+2 program.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
