OREANDA-NEWS. April 15, 2011. The documents for participation in the Program of support and development of the small and medium-sized enterprises to promote structural reforms, funded by the Japanese grants and partnership funds are to be submitted by May 6.

The Program enables to purchase a wide range of new imported production equipment for small and medium-sized enterprises, which will get it in leasing for a year without a pledge, at 0%. The total cost of the equipment is to be paid by installments. The first payment constitutes 25 percent. If an equipment recipient repays 60 percent of the equipment’s cost within a term, stipulated in the leasing contract, the rest 40% are to be covered by the Government at the expense of the grant. No VAT and not customs payments are imposed with the equipment import.

The cost of the equipment purchased within the Program may total 500,000-1,500,000 leis. Private companies with at most 49 employees and the annual sales volume below 25 million leis are eligible for the Program. It has been implemented in Moldova since March 2005. The Program was funded by four tranches, its total budget totaling USD11.8 million. In 2005-2010, equipment was purchased in leasing for 123 economic agents in the total amount of 187 million leis.

The equipment was supplied from Romania, Poland, Germany, Holland, Italy, Cyprus and others. Enterprises working in different sectors of economy (clothes sewing, meat processing, fresh fruit and vegetables storage, stock raising and others) took advantage of the new technologies. All purchased under the Program was made by the Crown Agents company (Great Britain), selected by the Moldovan Government.