Q:
A:
SMEs more adaptable to effect of crisis
Novi Sad,
25 March 2009
Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy and Regional Development Mladjan Dinkic today stated that Serbia’s future lies in the development of SMEs, as they are much more flexible than large companies and therefore able to surmount the effects of the global financial crisis much more easily.
Author:
Fonet
At a presentation of start-up loans for youth held in Novi Sad, Dinkic noted that due to the crisis the public sector will diminish and the government will work on the development of the private sector.
The Minister stressed that Serbia will manage to overcome the crisis and called on all interested citizens to draft a business plan and apply for a start-up loan under favourable conditions.
According to Dinkic, it is not easy at all to set up an enterprise during the crisis, but those unable to repay their loans will only have to return equipment purchased
The government provided RSD 4 billion for the third round of start-up loans, specified Dinkic, adding that amount of money will be enough to set up more than 3,000 enterprises, employing around 9,000 people.
He pointed out that the government has not set the deadline for submitting applications and funds will be paid out according to application sequence.
When those funds are used up, the credit line will be closed, explained the Minister adding that the first credit line will be approved in May.
Dinkic specified that during the first two years of credit lines, a total of 3,783 companies and stores were opened in Serbia, 12,365 people were employed and RSD 4.7 billion was invested from the budget.
The Minister said that 775 companies were opened in Vojvodina and 2,113 workers employed, adding that the results can be even better bearing in mind that a quarter of Serbia’s population lives there.
He said that the repayment rate amongst borrowers is high in comparison with other countries with similar projects.
In Norway the rate is 30%, while ours is 70%, which is extremely high bearing in mind the fact that the beneficiaries of these loans are start-ups, concluded Dinkic.
The Minister stressed that Serbia will manage to overcome the crisis and called on all interested citizens to draft a business plan and apply for a start-up loan under favourable conditions.
According to Dinkic, it is not easy at all to set up an enterprise during the crisis, but those unable to repay their loans will only have to return equipment purchased
The government provided RSD 4 billion for the third round of start-up loans, specified Dinkic, adding that amount of money will be enough to set up more than 3,000 enterprises, employing around 9,000 people.
He pointed out that the government has not set the deadline for submitting applications and funds will be paid out according to application sequence.
When those funds are used up, the credit line will be closed, explained the Minister adding that the first credit line will be approved in May.
Dinkic specified that during the first two years of credit lines, a total of 3,783 companies and stores were opened in Serbia, 12,365 people were employed and RSD 4.7 billion was invested from the budget.
The Minister said that 775 companies were opened in Vojvodina and 2,113 workers employed, adding that the results can be even better bearing in mind that a quarter of Serbia’s population lives there.
He said that the repayment rate amongst borrowers is high in comparison with other countries with similar projects.
In Norway the rate is 30%, while ours is 70%, which is extremely high bearing in mind the fact that the beneficiaries of these loans are start-ups, concluded Dinkic.
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