The Government plans to provide a fresh loan of EUR 100 million, with 5.5% interest rate, as support to the economy. As Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Zoran Stavreski, announced Monday, the European Investment Bank (EIB) has already been contacted and it is likely to approve the loan.

Funds, as Stavreski indicated, will be intended for small and medium-sized enterprises.

The Minister advised businessmen in Kumanovo, who he met with Monday afternoon, to more actively use the cheap credit line from the European Investment Bank with 5.5% interest rate.

- For the time being, EUR 50 million, out of the available EUR 100 million, are used by small and medium-sized enterprises, and additional EUR 12 million will be used by some 50 companies next week. Kumanovo companies are welcome to contact the Macedonian Bank for Development Promotion and to use part of these funds, since there are no funds on the market that are more favorable than these ones, with 5.5% interest rate subsidized by the Government, Stavreski underlined.

During the talks with the businessmen, possibilities for the Government to help further economic development of Kumanovo, as well as to realize joint policies with the local government thereto, were discussed.

- The businessmen voiced satisfaction with the Government’s policy as regards maintenance of the lowest tax rates in Europe, bureaucracy reduction, financial support through cheap credit lines, the Minister pointed out.

At a local level, he added, it is of priority importance to complete the existing industrial zones, infrastructure arrangement, as well as construction of a new industrial zone, to the end of accelerating the economic development of the municipality for which the Government will provide financial support.

- The Government will extend support to the municipality in order to accelerate the construction of industrial zones, since it is the future of Kumanovo and of all cities in Macedonia, and it is the Government's policy each city to have 2-3 industrial zones in which small companies, with 10, 20 employees, will prosper, work successfully and have working conditions, which will contribute to job creation, Stavreski underlined.