The final conference of the "Support to self-employment" project was held
The press conference on the occasion of the completion of the implementation of the project "Support for self-employment", realized within the framework of the 18 million euro program of the EU and Montenegro for employment, education and social protection, was held today at the European House in Podgorica.
Minister of Labor and Social Welfare Admir Adrović expressed his satisfaction with the implementation of the project and congratulated his colleagues who participated in its implementation. He reminded that the direct grant to the Employment Institute of Montenegro, from which grants for self-employment were financed, was provided from the Program of the European Union and Montenegro for Employment, Education and Social Protection 2015-2017.
The program was worth 18 million euros and was a donation from the EU within the framework of pre-accession support (IPA) to Montenegro. The participation of the Government of Montenegro in the Program is 15% of the total funds, or 2.7 million euros. The implementation of this Program was officially completed on December 31, 2022. The mentioned Program was an example of dedicated work and quality cooperation between Montenegro, the European Commission and the EU Delegation in Montenegro. At the same time, the program contributed to the strengthening of intersectoral cooperation, but also, most importantly, to the strengthening of the capacity of institutions for creating and implementing policies, approaching EU standards. This is supported by the fact that over 85% of the total value of the Program has been successfully implemented, said Adrović.
He stated that the general goal of the Program was "to ensure a developed and cohesive society by providing better conditions for raising the level of employability of the population, improving the quality of formal and informal education and lifelong learning, with the social inclusion of people in a disadvantageous position and reducing the risk of poverty." .
Project activities were carried out by the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Science, the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights, with the mediation of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare.
When it comes to support in the field of employment and the labor market, 8.7 million euros or 48% of the total value of the Program has been allocated through this Program for various activities aimed at increasing employability and creating new jobs, namely:
- · 3.5 million euros to support self-employment. Through this program, around 460 unemployed people solved their existential problem by starting their own business with non-reimbursed support from EU funds;
- · We allocated 1.6 million to support the training and employment of unemployed persons in deficit occupations in Montenegro, as well as strengthening the employability of unemployed members of the RE population;
- · 2.7 million euros were used to support employment in less developed municipalities in Montenegro;
- · 470,000 eros were used to establish 21 local partnerships for employment in order to strengthen the capacity of actors at the local level, by connecting municipalities, employers, labor bureaus and non-governmental organizations,
Minister Adrović stated.
3.4 million euros were allocated to strengthen the capacity of the social and child protection system in Montenegro, as well as to support the provision of services in this area. About EUR 800,000 was allocated for technical support to the Operational Structure, which was in charge of implementing the entire Program, added Minister Adrović.
Liselote Isakson, deputy head of cooperation in the EU Delegation to Montenegro, said that the aim of this support was to encourage entrepreneurship as a driver of economic growth and promote entrepreneurial culture, motivating particularly vulnerable groups such as women, young people and long-term unemployed people.
We are happy to have supported over 460 people to develop their creative ideas and transform them into products and services that touch citizens throughout Montenegro and beyond. I would like to thank the Employment Agency of Montenegro for the partnership. We believe that this project has not only benefited your end users, but has also helped you to improve your capacity and establish a solid mechanism for the management, monitoring and evaluation of grants for self-employment.
You have become a reliable partner when it comes to running EU programs and I would like to congratulate you on this. I encourage you to use the knowledge and experience gained through this Program to further build your capacities for the future implementation of EU pre-accession programs, said Isakson.
Director of the Employment Agency of Montenegro, Gzim Hajdinaga, said that the three-year successfully implemented project "Grant Program for Self-Employment" is an example of dedicated work and the result of exceptional and intensive cooperation between Montenegro and the European Union, through the EU Delegation in Montenegro.
"The program financed by the European Union was carried out by the Employment Service of Montenegro as a beneficiary of a direct grant, with the support of the Ministry of Labor and Social Welfare and the Ministry of Finance. Thanks to the funds received, in the amount of 3.5 million euros, ZZZCG managed to allocate grant funds for as many as 468 unemployed people, who were given the opportunity to realize themselves as entrepreneurs or as D.O.O. and to ensure a sustainable existence for themselves. The emphasis is placed on young people, women and long-term unemployed persons," said Hajdinaga.
He emphasized that this contributed to the reduction of the gray economy and poverty, as well as to the increase in employment.
"Entrepreneurship was encouraged and preconditions were created for the creation of new jobs. I will especially emphasize that more than 95 percent of grant beneficiaries are still in business! At the same time, it is an indication that we have implemented an efficient pilot project, which resulted in the decision to grow into a regular measure of active employment policy, which will actively stimulate and provide support for the labor market policy of Montenegro," said Hajdinaga.