Entrepreneurs with growth potential and the young people will be the target of the future programs of the Organization for the Development of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (ODIMM), the organization’s director Iulia Iabanji said in a news conference held on the occasion of the celebration of ten years of activity by ODIMM, IPN reports.
“A new program intended for the people will be launched possibly next year. The young generation is the future of the country and we try to create more instruments for motivating the young people to start a business, remain in the country and become involved in the country’s economic circuit,” stated Iulia Iabanji. ODIMM will support not only startups, but also enterprises with growth potential that can contribute to the development of the national economy. For next year, the Government prepared such a program.
Attending the conference, Deputy Minister of Economy Vitalie Iurcu assured that the Ministry will continue to modernize the legal framework in the field so as to support the development of an attractive business sector. “We will continue to offer the necessary assistance in the professional training of entrepreneurs, in the development of entrepreneurial spirit,” said the official.
Head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Pirkka Tapiola said for the Republic of Moldova, which is in a period of transition, the international support is welcome. The EU’s support will be from now on provided in a more direct way than earlier. Financing will come directly to ODIMM, not through the Ministry of Economy, as now, because the SMEs make a very important contribution to the economy.
World Bank Country Manager for Moldova Alexander Kremer, attending the event, said the investment in SMEs is the future of Moldova’s economy. “We should focus on the importance of the private sector in the economy. In the SME sector, the jobs are now fewer in number, while at state institutions the number of employees increased. But it should be the opposite in a sustainable economy,” said the WB official.
ODIMM was founded by the Ministry of Economy on May 17, 2007 as a nonprofit public self-managed organization. More than 2,500 enterprises received financing during ten years of work. There were created 11 business incubators and over 3,700 jobs. Among the most important programs managed by ODIMM are the Program to Attract Remittances to the Economy - PARE 1+1, the Youth Economic Empowerment Program and the Loan Guarantee Fund.
