Speaking to the press, Maras said employment in SMEs in 2012 grew 1.2 per cent on the year, exports grew 11.18%, investment in durable assets by 36.5%, and profits by 8.09%.
He said doing business in Croatia was simpler than two years ago, there were fewer taxes on SMEs, the new trades and crafts law had increased the security of doing business, and incentives for SMEs had gone up.
The minister said the incentives would be even greater thanks to European Union funds.
He said 3,500 jobs were saved and 10,500 created in the sector thanks to the Business Impulse programme in 2012 and 2013.
Maras said SMEs had invested HRK 3.9 billion in the 2007-12 period, creating 4,000 jobs, and this year they had applied for investment projects totalling HRK 5.8 billion that were expected to create more than 3,000 jobs.
In the next six years, more than EUR 100 million from EU funds will be intended for innovations and nearly EUR 1 billion for SMEs, the minister said, calling on business owners to apply for funding.
(EUR 1 = HRK 7.64)