The European Union allocates €8 million in the form of grants for co-financing seven state programs implemented by the Organization for Entrepreneurship Development (ODA). A grant contract for the EU4Business project was signed on Wednesday. The project aims to support rural communities, Minister of Economic Development and Digitalization Dumitru Alaiba announced in a news conference.
The minister said the financing will contribute to improving the investment climate, to easier integrating people into the labor market and to creating a favorable business environment for small and medium-sized enterprises. “The development of SMEs and their orientation to export can bring good results during a very short period of time. We speak both about exports and about investments and the creation of high-paying jobs, including in rural areas. We should also create an attractive business environment for entrepreneurs, while the cooperation with the European Union offers us many modernization and economic development possibilities,” stated Dumitru Alaiba.
The official noted that the Republic of Moldova needs accelerated economic growth and this growth can be ensured namely by the SME sector, which is the heart of a healthy economy. The multitude of risks faced now by the Republic of Moldova will be managed by appropriate instruments and by targeted investments to support the business community. But this is possible only through dialogue with the entrepreneurs, the development partners.
The Head of the EU Delegation to the Republic of Moldova Janis Mazeiks said the support offered to SMEs is very important for the EU. “The new project will increase the coverage of SMEs by seven national programs. This means that more enterprises, especially in rural areas, and companies led by women, will benefit from grants and consultancy services. We are confident that this new financial package of the EU will have a huge impact on the SME sector over the next three years as it is complemented by other bilateral initiatives and emphasis is placed on green and digital transformation,” stated Janis Mazeiks.
ODA director Dumitru Pîntea noted that owing to this contract, many young people, women and more businesses in general will have access to funding and will be supported at different activity stages. The money will be allocated for capitalizing on the program to reequip SMEs and for implementing a new program aimed at developing rural tourism, which is to be approved by the Cabinet. “The EU resources do not change the mechanism for implementing the mentioned programs. These complement the resources that were allocated from the state budget,” said Dumitru Pîntea.
The projected results of the EU4Business project include the supporting of at least 300 enterprises in their efforts to start, develop, extend or internationalize businesses. 80% of them will cover rural areas. The European assistance project will be implemented by the ODA during 2023-2026.
