The residents of Larga village of Briceni district no longer need to travel to the district center to solve their cadastral or notarial problems. The given services are now provided by the business incubator opened in the settlement, which is the first of the kind created in a village in Moldova. Contacted by IPN, the incubator’s administrator Elena Bejenari said the number of resident companies is on the rise. The incubator now hosts eight businesses.

A beauty salon was set up for the inhabitants of Larga and of the neighboring village. Also, the villagers can repair their shoes at the local cobbler, while those who want to study English can do it at courses taught in the business incubator. Those who want can do such sports as boxing and freestyle wrestling. The incubator also houses a clothes repairing workshop and a workshop making decorative bedclothes and pillows. A service for repairing domestic appliances may be opened there soon.

During the first year, the residents pay 30% of the office rental, which is 12 lei per square meter. The difference is covered with money from the local budget. The residents enjoy free access to technical equipment, Internet, computers, telephone/fax. They pay nothing for electricity and sanitation services. During the second year, the residents pay 50% of the rental, while during the third year – 80%. If they want to continue the business after three years, they must pay the rent fully, which is 42 lei per square meter.

The incubator is located in the center of the village and is accessible to everyone. “We didn’t have a hairdresser and a cobbler in the village and the people repaired everything at home, including the clothes. Now we have all the necessary services, including a hall for holding wedding parties. There were also created 20 workplaces,” said Elena Bejenari.

The Larga business incubator was created within a project implemented by the Regional Development Agency Nord with resources from the National Regional Development Fund. The incubator is 1,400 square meters in area and was outfitted and renovated within the project.