Key economic support programs for this year, which relate to economic development, strengthening crafts and encouraging innovation, were presented to businesspeople at a meeting of the Board of the Association of Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises of the Chamber of Commerce (PKCG).
Representatives of the Ministries of Economic Development and Regional Investment Development and Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organizations and the Innovation Fund presented available opportunities for improving the competitiveness of domestic companies.
The Secretary of the Board, Vesko Dragićević, emphasized the importance of a comprehensive approach in improving the business environment for micro and medium-sized enterprises in Montenegro.
As announced by the PKCG, he listed facilitating access to finance as one of the key priorities, which represents the foundation for the further development of these companies.
He placed special emphasis on the need to improve existing programs to support competitiveness and investment activities, through more significant budget allocations and a wider range of available measures.
Representatives of the Ministry of Economic Development, Ivana Zečević and Marina Šaković, said that the Competitiveness Improvement Program aims to further develop micro, small and medium-sized enterprises and increase their productivity, particularly through three program lines - improving capacities in the food industry, supporting women's entrepreneurship, and encouraging sustainable health development.
The total budget of the program is 3,5 million euros.
They pointed out that, as a new direction, a program line was introduced to encourage sustainable health development, designed as a pilot initiative with a budget of 150 thousand euros.
"The idea arose from the need to recognize Montenegro as a destination that combines treatment, rest and recreation, and through this line, the production of natural products, medical instruments and materials used in health tourism is supported," the statement said.
A special support line has been designated for the food industry, intended exclusively for companies registered in this sector.
The activity codes that will be supported are clearly defined, in order to improve production capacities and the quality of domestic food, with a special focus on local producers and sustainable development models.
Special attention is also paid to women in entrepreneurship, who have represented a significant part of economic development for years.
Through a program of combined financial and mentoring-educational support, women are provided with concrete assistance in starting and strengthening their own businesses, thereby creating a more stable and diverse entrepreneurial ecosystem.
A novelty in all program lines is the introduction of clearly defined criteria for evaluating applications, which moves from the principle of "first come, first served" to transparent scoring, in order to provide all companies with an equal opportunity for successful participation.
The entire application and refund process has been digitalized, and newly established companies are also eligible to apply.
The program for supporting the development of crafts was presented by Lidija Radović from the Ministry of Economic Development, highlighting it as an important segment of preserving traditional skills and transforming them into modern entrepreneurial activities.
This support aims to strengthen local artisans, increase their competitiveness and enable the placement of products on a wider market.
State Secretary of the Ministry of Regional Investment Development and Cooperation with Non-Governmental Organizations, Mirsada Bošnjak, emphasized that the strategic direction of the Government and that department is to create support programs that will contribute to strengthening economic activities and improving the business environment in Montenegro.
She particularly emphasized the importance of direct communication with business people and local communities in order to identify key opportunities for growth and propose concrete support measures.
"When we talk about economic development, we must recognize opportunities and offer clear support programs, especially towards strengthening domestic production," said Bošnjak.
Representatives of the Innovation Fund introduced businesspeople in detail to a wide range of measures and opportunities for strengthening the innovative capacities of companies and start-ups in Montenegro.
Businessmen welcomed the announced implementation of all presented programs, assessing them as a strong impetus for modernization, innovation and inclusive development of the Montenegrin economy.
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