Over 600 entrepreneurs to receive favorable loans for business development in Moldova

The governmental programme 373 has supported 663 entrepreneurs from across the country, providing them with favorable loans for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). More than 9,900 jobs have already been created and another 1,969 are expected to be generated. In total, loans worth 2.7 billion lei have been granted and investments in the national economy have exceeded 4 billion lei.

The investments focused on key sectors, such as energy production and supply (45 per cent of the total value), manufacturing industry (16 per cent), and transportation (15 per cent). Funds were also directed to health, education, and recreation.

The largest investments were made in the Central region and the municipality of Chisinau (1.3 billion lei each), followed by the Northern region (717 million lei) and the Southern region, including the Autonomous Territorial Unit (UTA) of Gagauzia (200 million lei). The program has evolved to facilitate access to financing, and SMEs in such sectors as trade and vehicle maintenance now benefit from friendlier conditions.

Launched in July 2023, the 373 programme has expanded access to financing and simplified procedures for SMEs. The maximum loan amount has been increased from 15 to 40 million lei, and the possibility of financing raw materials and production materials has grown to 30 per cent of the project's value. Also, the guarantee ceiling has been raised from 40 to 80 per cent through the Credit Guarantee Fund.