Municipality Centar finances the launch of own business for unemployed up to 35 years of age

With the aim of encouraging youth employment, Municipality Centar Sarajevo, led by Mayor Dževad Bećirević, continues to provide financial support from its budget for the best business projects aimed at developing entrepreneurship and self-employment of young people from the central Sarajevo municipality by co-financing the costs of starting and developing their own businesses, Patria reports.

Based on the Decision on encouraging youth employment from the budget of the Municipality Centar, which was unanimously adopted by the Centar Municipal Council, this project was launched last year and 50 thousand marks were allocated in the budget. 17 young candidates with their business plans applied for the public call for financing and co-financing of the best business projects aimed at developing entrepreneurship and youth employment, which was published on September 23 last year. After the procedure was completed, non-refundable funds were approved for five candidates whose business plans were assessed as the best.

In order to more strongly move towards opening perspectives for young people and their faster employment, 100 thousand marks have been allocated in this year's budget of the Municipality Centar for encouraging employment and self-employment of young people through the allocation of non-refundable funds. The public call for young people to submit business plans was published on May 9, 2016, and was open for two months. 22 candidates with their business plans applied within the prescribed period. The processing of received requests, i.e. business plans, is currently underway. The process of evaluating business plans and allocating non-refundable funds of the Municipality Centar for encouraging youth employment is carried out by a commission, in accordance with the established criteria and measures.

Residents of the Municipality Centar up to 35 years of age who are registered as unemployed with the JU Employment Service of Sarajevo Canton are eligible for non-refundable funds from the budget of the Municipality Centar for starting and developing their own business, which can amount to up to 15,000 KM per business plan.

According to the president of the Centar Municipal Council Commission for Youth Issues, Amer Kapo, who is also the initiator of this project, young people are showing increasing interest in starting their own businesses with the financial support of the Municipality Centar.

- Young people have recognized in this project their chance to secure a job and livelihood by applying with plans for starting their own businesses. The fact that 22 candidates applied for the last public call, which is more than last year, confirms their growing interest. In addition, this year the business plans they are applying with are more diverse. The commission will, in accordance with the prescribed procedure, evaluate the proposed business plans and projects, with whose authors interviews will be conducted, and then the best ones will be selected to receive non-refundable funds from the municipal budget. This work will be completed within two months - explained Kapo and expressed his gratitude to the Municipality Centar, Mayor Dževad Bećirević, and the Municipal Council for providing young people with the opportunity to be independent individuals in this way.