Ministry of Economy has great expectations of SME Forum

The Ministry of Economy follows attentively the development of the small and medium-sized companies, Deputy Minister of Economy Sergiu Ciobanu said in a new conference centering on the Forum of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises that will open on May 26, Info-Prim Neo reports. According to the official, the debates that will be held during the forum and the opinions expressed by the participants will allow adjusting the policies aimed at supporting the SME sector. The international conference of the SMEs that will take place on May 27 will focus on the development of the business infrastructure by creating free economic zones and business incubators, the entrepreneurial culture and corporate social responsibility, establishment of partnerships between the public and private sectors. Special attention will be paid to the access to financing, new bank products provided for the SME sector and the possibilities of obtaining financing through international projects, Sergiu Ciobanu said. The winners of the national contest “The Best Entrepreneur of the Year” will be awarded on May 28. There will be also handed over the State Quality Prize for 2009 and grants from international organizations to young entrepreneurs. There are 42,000 SMEs in Moldova that employ 360,000 persons. The SME sector contributes to the formation of 35% of the GDP. According to Alexandru Gozun, the head of the Ministry of Economy's Business Environment Development Division, the average monthly revenue from sales per SME in Moldova is 1.6 million lei a year. According to the data presented at the conference, about 270 companies will be taking part in the SME Forum. A figure of about 250 businesses was announced earlier. The forum will take place at Moldexpo.