Cabinet approves portfolio guarantee programme to support SMEs

Bulgaria’s Council of Ministers on April 29 approved a portfolio guarantee programme to support the liquidity of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) affected by the COVID-19 state of emergency situation and epidemic. The implementation of the Programme is entrusted to the Bulgarian Development Bank.

The program is open to participation by SMEs from all sectors of the economy. It is expected to support the activities of the sectors most affected by the pandemic - trade, services, including transport, tourism, hotels and restaurants, logistics, exports and others.

The conditions to be met by micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (as referred to in the Law on Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises), registered in Bulgaria, to be eligible for funding under the Programme, have been defined.

The conditions set out for SMEs are intended to provide assistance to eneterprises which have been in difficulty since 31 December 2019 due to the outbreak of the COVID-19 epidemic. The credits provided under the Programme will be provided under the most favourable conditions.

The decision is part of the measures the Council of Ministers takes to overcome the economic consequences of the spread of COVID-19 and aims to preserve the employment and economic well-being of workers in the face of a sharp decline in economic activity, business closures, the risk of massive bankruptcies and inter-company and public indebtedness.