Nine projects have received non-refundable support totaling 8.7 million kuna for the measure “Support and Improvement of Entrepreneurial Zones” as part of the Entrepreneurial Impulse program, reported today at a press conference by the Minister of Entrepreneurship and Crafts, Gordan Maras.
A total of 46 applications were submitted for the competition, which lasted until August 23, of which 33 passed the administrative check, 11 were positively evaluated, and nine received non-refundable grants, while two projects are undergoing budget verification after which they will also be awarded non-refundable funds.
For these two projects, 1.3 million kuna has been secured, as a total of 10 million kuna has been allocated for the support and improvement of entrepreneurial zones within the Entrepreneurial Impulse program.
Among the nine projects that received support, the lowest amount of support is 527.5 thousand kuna, the highest is 1.4 million kuna, with an average amount of support being 964.1 thousand kuna.
The share of entrepreneurs in financing the projects for which grants have been approved ranges from 25 to 93.43 percent.
The total value of the nine projects is 34.2 million kuna, of which 25.5 million kuna is from the entrepreneurs’ own funds, and 8.7 million kuna are non-refundable grants.
The implementation of the projects for which grants have been approved will enable the creation of nearly 1,600 new jobs by the end of 2015, said Maras.
He emphasized that the government does not favor any region or local government unit, regardless of who is in power. Only quality is considered, as evidenced by the nine entrepreneurial zones that received non-refundable grants, Maras noted, who today signed contracts with representatives of five projects.
