The Ministry for Economy and the organization supporting small and medium-sized companies (ODIMM) plan to launch a campaign of developing businesses in rural areas.

Economy Minister Octavian Calmîc has made the statement at a workshop, organized by the EU’s Technical Assistance and Information Exchange Instrument (TAIEX). 

Octavian Calmîc  has said, in 2017, the Ministry will focus on holding events at the country-side in order to directly contact with people and to help them start businesses.

“The Ministry of Economy will further support the running business incubators, will create new ones, because they are very good platforms to develop business in rural areas,” Octavian Calmîc said.

Signing cooperation accords among those four regional development agencies and ODIMM is a first step towards developing small and medium-sized enterprises in the rural sector.

Regional Development Minister Vasile Bîtca has said the Regional Development National Fund earmarks 121 mn lei to develop business infrastructure in localities in the coming three years.

He adds a center for innovation and technological transfer will be set up in Bălți, and a wholesale regional market and areas for non-agricultural activities will open in Rașcani district.

ODIMM chief Iulia Iabanji has said the workshop is the first step in making the Moldovan authorities familiar with the European best practice in regional development: ”A range of event will be organized this year to promote the cooperation between the local authorities and businesses, education institutions and other key actors for the development of regional competitiveness.”

Experts from Germany, Poland and Spain presented their views on development entrepreneurship in rural areas.

There are over 51,000 small and medium-sized firms in Moldova.