Press releases

16 June 2025, Chisinau The Entrepreneurship Development Organisation, the Ministry of Economic Development and Digitalisation and the Delegation of the European Union to the Republic of Moldova today marked the successful completion of the EU for SMEs project, one of the most important initiatives in support of Moldova’s entrepreneurial environment, during the third edition of Entrepreneurship Day.

The project funded 377 investment projects with grants of 7.17 million euro, triggering a total investment of 15.5 million euro in the national economy. It has also helped to create 1 575 new jobs and maintain more than 4 050 existing jobs.

Of the total beneficiaries of the project, 300 are rural businesses and 160 are women-created and women-led businesses.

On the entrepreneurial capacity development component, more than 615 people received training and outreach activities. 

At the start of the event, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Economic Development and Digitalisation, Eugeniu Osmochescu, stressed the importance of the partnership between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union for the development of the SME sector:

“Entrepreneurs play a key role in the economic development of the Republic of Moldova. They are the ones who invest, innovate, create jobs and help make our economy more competitive. Every business developed means more opportunities for people, stronger communities and a more resilient economy.

The results of the EU for SMEs project confirm that the support provided to small and medium-sized enterprises generates real and lasting effects. The grants provided enabled business to be modernised, production capacities to be expanded, new investments to be launched and hundreds of jobs to be created. 

This support has reached all regions of the country, including the countryside, offering great opportunities to women entrepreneurs, who are playing an increasingly active role in the economic and social development of the Republic of Moldova. These results confirm that investing in entrepreneurship is an effective way to boost economic growth and improve people’s living standards. 

The partnership between the Republic of Moldova and the European Union continues to deliver concrete results for business. The development of the SME sector remains a strategic priority for the Government, as a strong entrepreneurial sector means a more competitive, modern and prosperous economy.”

Director of ODA, Vadim Codreanu, noted that the results achieved go beyond statistical figures and reflect real transformations in the business environment:

“Behind every investment made and every job created are entrepreneurs who have had the courage to pursue their vision, invest in development and turn challenges into opportunities. The EU for SMEs project demonstrated that strong partnerships and access to financial instruments tailored to business needs can generate results with real impact for the Moldovan economy. Together with the European Union, we managed to provide the support needed to grow, innovate.”

The project was implemented in 2023-2026 and contributed to strengthening the competitiveness of small and medium-sized enterprises by facilitating access to non-repayable finance, developing entrepreneurial skills and supporting investment in sustainable business.

The European Union continues to support the development of the Moldovan entrepreneurial environment through the implementation of the Growth Plan for Moldova, which provides significant resources to boost investment, strengthen the competitiveness of enterprises, develop economic infrastructure and accelerate the country’s economic integration into the European Single Market.

For more details on entrepreneurial support programmes, go to www.oda.md or call the ODA Consulting Centre on: 022 22 57 99.

The event was organised with the financial support of the European Union, through the “EU for SMEs” project, as well as through the project “Support to the Moldovan SME sector – Technical Assistance for Access to Credit”, funded by the European Union, managed by Bank Gospodarstwa Krajowego (BGK) and implemented by Solidarity Fund PL in Moldova, in partnership with ODA. The event also benefited from the financial support of the CONNECT Moldova-EU project, funded by the European Commission through EISMEA.