In the coming year, it is planned to offer 3,5 million euros to the economy, which will be awarded in the form of subsidies through support programs, announced the head of the Directorate for the Development of Small and Medium Enterprises in the Ministry of Economic Development, Ivana Zečević.
At the two-day conference Power of Small: EU Projects and Business Growth of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), which was held at the Avala Hotel in Budva, she reminded that MSMEs make up a large part of the Montenegrin economy, which gives them an important role in employment and economic progress.
The conference, as announced by the Ministry, brought together representatives of the private sector, that Government department and the European Union (EU), in order to jointly consider the challenges and opportunities for the development of MSMEs in Montenegro.
The conference was organized within the framework of the project Advanced services for business development to strengthen the capacity of MSMEs, financed through donor funds of the European delegation in Montenegro, implemented by the Ministry of Economic Development and WEglobal.
During the event, the importance of creating an environment in which MSMEs can realize their full potential as drivers of economic growth was emphasized.
The head of operations of the EU Delegation in Montenegro, Ingve Engstrom, emphasized the key role of the EU in strengthening the competitiveness and sustainable development of MSMEs.
The team leader of the project from WEglobal, Iskra Danailova, presented the key activities and results of the project, including the strengthening of services for business development, institutional support and tools for accessing EU funds.
The conference offered participants concrete knowledge and practical tools for business improvement.
A handbook for MSMEs was presented, providing an overview of available EU and financial support programs and application guidelines.
Through an interactive workshop, participants developed ideas for EU projects, while examples of successful projects from the Horizon 2020 and Horizon Europe programs served as inspiration for further work.
A special segment of the conference called Help Desk offered customized guidelines and solutions for the specific needs of the mentioned companies.
"This event further emphasized the importance of EU support in strengthening the sustainability of this sector in Montenegro. Through projects such as the modernization of the biznis.gov.me platform and the improvement of institutional capacities, the foundations for sustainable growth, strengthening competitiveness and greater involvement in EU funding programs have been created," the announcement states.
The conference concluded with the establishment of a framework for strengthening cooperation between the Montenegrin government, the private sector and the EU, with the aim of reaching the full potential of MSMEs.
"The mastery of knowledge, tools and methods of accessing resources made it possible for this event to become a key step in the direction of building a stronger, more innovative and more competitive economic system in Montenegro," the announcement concludes.
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