The Government is stepping up support for businesses under martial law. New grant programmes are being introduced as part of the eRobota project, and 10,000 microgrants are to be awarded this year under the Vlasna Sprava programme alone. This was announced by Yuliia Svyrydenko, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy of Ukraine, on the air of Inter TV channel.

“We are very grateful to businesses that continue to work, relocate and save jobs despite the war. Ukrainian business accounts for 50% of the state budget revenues. So it is extremely important that it works today. And we are ready to lend a shoulder to it at this most difficult time in the history of independent Ukraine. Last year, 3,300 applicants received grants through the Vlasna Sprava microgrant programme alone. This year, our goal is to provide 10,000 grants to entrepreneurs to start or expand their businesses,” said Yuliia Svyrydenko.

The First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy stressed that the grants were awarded according to a very simple procedure. The key requirement for recipients is to create jobs. In this way, the Government is not only supporting business, but also addressing the issue of employment. The money given to entrepreneurs is returned to the state in the form of taxes and fees.

Yuliia Svyrydenko also spoke about new grant programmes for veterans, which were introduced on April 10.

Since yesterday, veterans can receive the following grants to start and develop their own business:

• UAH 250,000 for a veteran who creates one job;
• UAH 500,000 for a veteran’s spouse, provided that two jobs are created;
• UAH 1 million for a veteran registered as an individual entrepreneur (for at least 3 years), provided that 4 jobs are created, at least 2 of which held by veterans or persons with a disability caused by war.

“This is a modification of our grant programme, which proved highly effective last year and was in great demand by entrepreneurs who wanted to develop,” said Yuliia Svyrydenko.

According to the First Deputy Prime Minister, entrepreneurs can use the grant funds to purchase equipment, raw materials and supplies, rent premises and vehicles necessary for the implementation of their business project, and purchase licensed software.

As noted by the First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economy, the Government also continues to provide assistance to businesses, in particular, through the 5-7-9% concessional lending programme. Thus, since the beginning of this year alone, entrepreneurs have received more than 6,000 low-interest loans for a total of UAH 21 billion.