31.05.2021

ENTREPRENEURS WANT SUPPORT CENTERS FOR SMALL BUSINESSES IN THE COUNTRYSIDE

"During the pandemic, the problems of small and medium-sized businesses also increased, this problem is still there - intercompany indebtedness and others. I expect the new government to create a system of business centers to support small and medium-sized businesses on the ground, to support people in the field and to develop a mechanism for quick access to fresh financial resources - creation of microcredit funds, creation of venture capital funds, other support mechanisms, apart from the grant, mixed schemes, etc.,” Eleonora Negulova, chairwoman of the National Association of Small and Medium Business, told BNR.

She informed about the refusal of the Bulgarian Development Bank (BDB) to lend to small businesses. "BDB has a microfund for small loans up to BGN 50,000 and one of my companies was refused because, according to the bank, the company's business is not sufficiently efficient, which was offered for financing, but there are other cases in our association," she added.

"The problem is even more serious because the bank itself has no branches in the province and people there have to spend money to come to Sofia. The Development Bank itself and the Executive Agency for Promotion of Small and Medium Enterprises, which are the two main instruments of the state for the implementation of some supporting policies in our sector - and neither the bank nor the agency have branches," said Negulova.