More than 740 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) managed to advance in developing the business with the assistance offered by the Advice for Small Businesses, EBRD Moldova Project (ASB EBRD). This was possible owing to the access to consultancy services provided by national and international experts and to the financing offered by the European Union within the EU4business initiative and the Government of Sweden, IPN reports.
Sweden’s Ambassador to Moldova Signe Burgstaller, together with the team of ASB EBRD, paid a fact-finding visit to northern Moldova to learn about success stories of beneficiaries of such assistance. One of the beneficiaries opened the first poultry-litter-powered biogas plant.
The Swedish diplomat said the SMEs play an important role in developing the economy, especially in rural areas. The support for regional development has a beneficial impact on the development of communities.
ASB EBRD national manager Veronica Arpintin said that with the support of donors ASB EBRD co-finances annually about 70 consultancy projects for Moldovan companies. “We aim to further extend the portfolio of beneficiaries that can access grants of 50% of the cost of consultancy projects, without VAT, but not higher than €10 000,” she stated.
The itinerary of the visit included a trip to the laying hens farm ROM-Cris that benefitted from consultancy projects with the assistance of ASB EBRD Moldova. The company’s director Tudor Sarbu said the provided support allowed them to build a biogas plant on an area of one hectare, with the capacity of 500 KW. “This project enabled us to cover the costs for energy, which account for a significant share of the costs of a poultry business,” he said.
The beneficiaries of consultancy from ASB EBRD are SMEs that have fewer than 250 employees and up to €50 million in annual turnover. The enterprises must be registered in the Republic of Moldova, be at least 51% privately owned by local nationals and work according to the current legislation
