On 14 April 2016, the EU-funded Business Centre that will support small and medium businesses, start-ups and development actors was opened in Goražde. Among others, the Centre will deliver 20 training programs, facilitating B2B meetings, promoting new businesses, and connecting Goražde with technological parks and IT centres in Bosnia and Herzegovina and abroad.
The establishment of the Centre is part of the EU-supported project “Goražde Business Improvement Zone”. The project will provide support to the economic growth and employment generation in the Goražde area by improving services and operational framework for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and providing a more attractive infrastructure for their development.
Martin Schieder, Head of Operations Section for economic development, natural resources, infrastructures in the Delegation of the EU to BiH, commended the initiative to establish the Centre as a model of an effective business support across the country.
“The project ‘Goražde Business Improvement zone’ is an example of a good partnership initiative between business people, government and service providers, who have joined together to promote the Business Centre and the area of Goražde as a prospective business and tourist location, as well as to make notable, positive changes in the wider business environment”, Schieder said, noting that such projects in the SMEs sector at the local level are also important for the implementation of the Reform Agenda.
“The European Union will continue assisting this sector depending on the tangible SMEs improvements to contribute to SMEs competitiveness. Complying with the Reform package should help the country to catch up with its neighbours in terms of business environment and actions needed to spur investment and create jobs”, Schieder concluded.
Muhamed Ramović, Mayor of the Goražde Municipality, said that the opening of the Business Centre represented a great achievement, not only for the city of Goražde, but for the whole region.
“With the opening of the Business Centre, Goražde will receive a fully equipped, multifunctional space where, primarily, the premises will be provided to business service providers, business associations and the youth. The first phase of the project has been already implemented; the Business Centre is established and there are already five business associations there”, the Mayor concluded.
The opening ceremony was attended by representatives of cantonal and municipal governments, entrepreneurs, business service providers, and partner organisations.
The total value of the project is 524.461 euro of which the EU is funding 440.547,24 euro from IPA 2011. This project is implemented by the Oxfam in cooperation with the Government of the Bosnia-Podrinje Canton, Municipality of Goražde, Chamber of Crafts of the Bosnia-Podrinje Canton and INFORMEST (Italian Development Agency).
