Only 21,000 Romanian small firms applied for the EUR 2,000 micro-grants on the platform launched by the Economy Ministry until Friday, October 16, at 18.00.

Thus, in the first week, not even half of the 50,000 companies expected to share the EUR 100 million budget have submitted requests.

Thus, the Economy Ministry extended the application period until October 21.

Still, the business consultants believe that the ceiling will not be exhausted until that date, either.

"I am sure that the budget will not be exhausted until October 21. I believe that the low interest is mainly because potential beneficiaries are not sufficiently informed or are discouraged by various contradictory information they read online," Cristina Itcus, managing partner at CBS Custom Business Solutions, which provides consultancy on EU funds, told Ziarul Financiar.

(Photo: Henning Marquardt/ Dreamstime)

andrei@romania-insider.com