More than 500 Moldovan migrants and recipients of remittances were taught how to start and develop a business. As a result, there were set up seven businesses that created 22 workplaces. These are the results achieved within the project “Remittances Developing Moldovan Communities”, implemented by Hilfswerk Austria Association with financial support from the EU, IPN reports.
In a summing up conference, head of the EU Delegation to Moldova Pirkka Tapiola said that one of the effects of migration on the countries of origin are the remittances sent by migrant workers. In Moldova, 80% of the remittances are spent on basic needs and less on investments that yield profit. “Unfortunately, the financial contributions from remittances cannot remedy the economic situation of the country because they practically bring no value added that would create new workplaces,” said the European official.
Pirkka Tapiola underlined that migration can lead to the development of the national economy if the remittances are redirected and transformed into activities that generate revenues and contribute to the development of settlements. The state is responsible for ensuring a beneficial legal framework for creating a good investment climate.
The representative for Southeastern Europe of Hilfswerk Austria International Andrea Tauber said that the project enabled to open a resource center for entrepreneurs in Orhei district. Through this center, 580 migrants and recipients of remittances were trained how to develop businesses. “The project helped realize measurable success stories and led to the efficient management of remittances. This thing is a plus for Moldova,” he stated.
The project was implemented between April 1, 2011 and June 30, 2013.
