site.btaSocial Enterprises in for Microcrediting by Mid-2017 - Minister

Social Enterprises in for Microcrediting by Mid-2017 - Minister

Sofia, November 8 (BTA) - Operational Programme Human Resources Development will provide opportunities for microcrediting of social enterprises, Social Policy Minister Zornitsa Roussinova said. She was speaking at Tuesday's opening of an information day under the OP scheme in Sofia.

The programme has set aside an additional 23 million leva for expansion of production or turnover capital. The documents are currently in preparation and the selection of micro-enterprises will begin by the end of the year. The mechanism is expected to begin to function by mid-2017 at latest.

The scheme of social enterprise, for which 15 million leva have been set aside, will allow hundreds of people to find employment through the social economy, Roussinova said. This is an important policy because social economy generates not only social responsibility but also helps vulnerable people find their place in life.

Over 44 social enterprises were established over the previous programme period, and they continue to exist, the minister said. The new financial resources will support the ones that are already established and will allow NGOs, municipalities and commercial corporations to continue to develop the social policy in Bulgaria.

OP Human Resources is the most successful programme, both in the previous and in the current programme period: over 62 per cent of the funds have been contracted and nearly 20 per cent have been reimbursed by the EU. The open procedures are worth some 1,000 million.