The Director of the Organisation for Entrepreneurship Development (ODA), Vadim Codreanu, together with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Economic Development and Digitalisation, Eugeniu Osmochescu, assessed the impact of ODA support instruments on the entrepreneurial environment in UTA Gagauzia on the spot as part of a working visit to the region.

During the visit, officials went to two local companies that capitalised on the funding and programmes managed by ODA, discussing with entrepreneurs how these tools contributed to business development and increased competitiveness.

The company VITAPHARM-COM in Comrat, active in the wholesale trade of pharmaceutical products, received support through five ODA programmes, totalling almost RON 3 million.

Founded in 2005 and administered by Croatian Sergei, the company used the grants and financial guarantees for digitalisation, the development of ERP systems, the creation of the web page and the modernisation of production equipment. In addition, a treatment plant and modern machinery have been installed for the production and packaging of medicines. Through the Credit Guarantee Fund, the company accessed financing for working capital, the installation of a water treatment system and the modernisation of the syrup preparation section.

Another supported business is AVTOMIRAT, founded in 2011 and managed by Nicolai Mihailov, who specialises in the manufacture of paper household and sanitary products. Through three ODA programmes, the company obtained grants of over RON 2.2 million, invested in modernising the production process by purchasing high-performance machinery. The entrepreneur has also developed the brand, identified new business partners and implemented the ISO 9001: 2015 quality management system.

Discussions with entrepreneurs concerned the effectiveness of ODA instruments in facilitating access to finance and stimulating investment in UTA Gagauzia.

Between 2022 and 2025, the grant programmes managed by ODA approved 115 investment projects for companies in the region, with grants totalling RON 40.87 million, generating investments of approximately RON 125.39 million.

The Credit Guarantee Fund has been instrumental in multiplying investments by issuing 189 guarantees amounting to RON 163.4 million, facilitating the contracting of RON 343.8 million in loans and making investments estimated at RON 404.4 million.

Through the ‘373’ programme, companies in the region accessed 116 loans amounting to RON 172.6 million, generating investments of RON 234.7 million, and through the ‘FACEM Investments BGK’ product, eight other entrepreneurs obtained loans of RON 5.83 million.

In addition to financial support, ODA also provided non-financial support: 191 persons participated in the Entrepreneurship Training Programme and 53 economic operators benefited from grants for participation in fairs and exhibitions, totalling RON 277.5 thousand.

In total, 481 entrepreneurs from UTA Gagauzia have benefited from ODA instruments, with support exceeding RON 383 million and contributing significantly to business modernisation and strengthening the local economy.

The visit provided an opportunity to assess the results of the programmes implemented by the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalisation and ODA in the region. Concrete examples of investment and feedback from entrepreneurs confirm the crucial role of funding and support instruments in increasing the competitiveness and economic development of UTA Gagauzia.

Officials stressed the importance of continuous dialogue with business and the promotion of support programmes, so that an increasing number of companies in the region can access financing and development opportunities.