ZAGREB, Feb 7 (Hina) - The Croatian Crafts, Small and Medium-Size Enterprises Ministry in January and early February announced public bids for the continuation of implementing loan programmes for the development of small enterprises.
Along with lower interest rates for some programmes from the past years, another novelty is the launching of a programme for awarding non-repayable loans for newly-established producers' cooperatives.
ZAGREB, Feb 7 (Hina) - The Croatian Crafts, Small and Medium-Size
Enterprises Ministry in January and early February announced
public bids for the continuation of implementing loan programmes
for the development of small enterprises. Along with lower interest
rates for some programmes from the past years, another novelty is
the launching of a programme for awarding non-repayable loans for
newly-established producers' cooperatives. #L#
The interest rate of the export loan programme dropped from last
year's 5.5 percent to 4.4 percent, while the interest rate of the
new technology loan programme dropped from 7.5 to six percent.
So far, measures for stimulating small-size enterprises have
proved to be very successful, which can be backed up with data on
40,000 new employees in small-size enterprises in the past three
years and an increased number of business operators, the ministry
says. In 2002 there were 16,254 business operators more than in
1999.
This year, the ministry will continue to implement the programme of
awarding non-repayable subsidies to student cooperatives, as well
as the programme of developing entrepreneurial zones in local self-
government.
The ministry will also continue the programme of developing
traditional crafts and the programme of awarding non-repayable
loans amounting to 10,000-30,000 kuna for the preparation and
introduction of ISO standards.
(EUR1 = 7.5 kuna)
(hina) it sb