SERBIA PROSPERS: 17.000 more companies opened than shut down

For the first time 17.000 more companies have been opened than shut down in Serbia this year, said the director of the Development Agency of Serbia Zeljko Sertic, adding that this is the best evidence of the results achieved in the "Year of Entrepreneurship".

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Minister Sertic in an interview for the new economic magazine "Serbian economy" said that around 36,000 entrepreneurial shops and companies were founded, pointing out that the state allocated most funds so far for development of that sector, which is the backbone of every developed economy.

- 33 support programs have been offered with 16 billion dinars, of which 4.4 billion are non-refundable fund, and so far around 10 billion dinars were granted to entrepreneurs - said Sertic.

"The year of Entrepreneurship" is widely set campaign focusing on entrepreneurs, micro, small and medium companies. Sertic said that more than 13.000 companies, beginners in business applied for some of the programs, and more than 7.600 requests have been approved.

Reprint: Srpska ekonomija

Speaking about programs, Setic mentioned the example of "Startup" program for beginners, where state supported 116 entrepreneur's ideas with around 80 million dinars.

There is also a program for the purchase of equipment, thanks to which entrepreneurs have the ability to get new machines with only 5% participation, and to get 25% non refundable from the state, while the 70% will be realized through the affordable loans in selected banks and leasing companies, where the guarantee is the equipment itself.

- In this way we helped 377 companies with over 550 million dinars, which makes total investment in new equipment and machines 2.7 billion dinars - said Sertic.

Foto: Tanjug/Nemanja Jovanović

When asked if the help of the state is enough for beginners to enter the business, Sertic said that it is not, but he also points out that the commitment of the Government to change the traditional way of thinking about their own future and to stop the employment favoring in civil service and public enterprises.

- Adoption of a set of commercial laws, cleaning of Serbian economic yard of accumulated problems from the past, responsible regulation of the state budget and attracting a large number of investors in our country clearly indicates the significant improvement of the business climate - has underlined Sertic.

Foto: Tanjug/Zoran Žestić

He stated that the Development Agency of Serbia participated with six support programs in the "Age of Entrepreneurship" with a total budget of 992 million dinars, of which more than 950 million were of direct financial support to entrepreneurs, and that more than 90% of the program has been realized.

Sertic said that the programs that have caused a great interest in the sector of the economy will be intensified in the coming year.

(Telegraf.co.uk)