Press releases

From 18 to 21 September, a delegation from the Organisation for the Development of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises is undertaking a fact-finding visit to the city of Prague, Czech Republic. For 4 days, specialists from ODIMM and Business Incubators study Czechia’s experience in developing and promoting small and medium-sized enterprises, support programmes for entrepreneurs. The fact-finding mission is carried out under the project “Supporting SMEs and increasing export capacity. Aid for Trade – Republic of Moldova”.

Ludmila drove, Director of Economics of ODIMM, mentioned that travelling to Prague was a welcome initiative to take up experience in the development of the SME sector. “In the Czech Republic, support for SMEs is predominantly provided by the State, with considerable funds allocated for their promotion, development, competitiveness and export orientation. Around 2/3 of the sources of funding intended to support the sector come from the state budget and are offset by alternative sources. European funds to support innovation, new technologies and alternative financing instruments for private companies play an important role. Czechia implements entrepreneurship support programmes: young people (start-ups), women, family businesses, etc. Start-ups are widely supported. Czechia’s experience in developing entrepreneurship can be taken up and successfully implemented in Moldova”.

Daniela Dascaliuc, Head of the SME Finance Directorate, noted that the Czech government is providing massive support to the entrepreneurial sector. “It is welcome that similar programmes to those in Czechia are being implemented in the Republic of Moldova. At the same time, Czech practice is characterised by a focus on target groups: young women, mothers with children, women 50 +; strictly delineated areas: mechanical engineering, thermal energy, marketing services, consulting, etc. Training, incubation, maintenance and exchange of experience with other countries have a special place to promote and develop Czech entrepreneurship. These practices are also welcome for domestic entrepreneurship. It is only through hard work, training, gaining experience and taking on good practice that the success of SMEs in our country depends on.”

Dionisie Camerzan, coordinator of the ODIMM Credit Guarantee Fund, claims that Czechia’s experience is suggestive for the Republic of Moldova. “The Czech Guarantee Fund, which acts as a banking financial institution, has reached another level of development, with financial guarantees becoming by-products for the loans offered by the Fund. Czechia’s individual guarantee scheme closely resembles the one implemented by ODIMM, both at issuance and execution stage. The next step for the development of the Credit Guarantee Fund, managed by ODIMM, would be the implementation of the portfolio guarantee scheme, successfully used by the Czech Fund. More engagement with commercial banks, which are important partners in supporting SMEs, is desirable”.

Artur Nebunu, manager of the Cahul Business Incubator, reiterated that Czech partners had implemented a very effective national development strategy on fostering the development of entrepreneurship in the regions. “Czech business incubators are private and there is serious competition between incubated companies. This practice is still appropriate in the future in the Republic of Moldova.”