Out of over 3,000 files submitted by Moldovan entrepreneurs last year to get assistance to start or develop a business through the agency of the Organization for Entrepreneurship Development (OED), only 500 received a positive response, the Organization’s director Dumitru Pîntea told a news conference.
According to him, the refusals were based on reasons that the entrepreneurs were to take into account, like the fact that the financial plan was written incorrectly or that they chose an unsuitable moment for investing. “One cannot argue they will export when they cannot cope on the domestic market. In this case, they should probably choose another segment. We have different projects. Any entrepreneur can access this program, but needs to correctly assess the possibilities. The third reason is the viability of the business: the state cannot support businesses that are expected to fail in a short period of time,” stated Dumitru Pîntea.
The OED budget consists of different sources, primarily state funds. The Organization is also having discussions with foreign partners for obtaining funds, including for guaranteeing loans, such as the World Bank and the German development agency (GIZ). For 2023, the OED budget is half a billion lei.
As to the implemented programs, Dumitru Pîntea said the PARE 1+1 program was converted to 1+2. The state offers 2 lei for each invested leu. “We have programs that offer even up to 500,000 lei. We launched a new technologization and energy efficiency program. About 20 entrepreneurs installed photovoltaic panels and reduced consumption. Each tenths entrepreneur received state support,” noted Dumitru Pîntea. New programs will be launched in 2023, such as “Women in Business” that is intended for small producers, “Local Suppliers” to stimulate export and a program to develop domestic tourism.
Minister of Economy Dumitru Alaiba said developing the economy by creating new jobs and starting new businesses is an objective of the Ministry he manages. The OED is the most suitable institution for supporting this desideratum. “There should be more freedom than bureaucracy. This means the state should take two steps backward to offer freedom for development. Only this way we can ensure higher salaries and become competitive for investors. We will continue improving the methods for supporting businesses,” stated the minister.
