BRATISLAVA, August 11, (WEBNOVINY)– The National Agency for Small and Medium Enterprises (NADSME), which was supposed to be closed down or undergo substantial transformation, is continuing its operation. The agency sent a preliminary notification that it would announce a public tender at the beginning of this week. The agency wants to find a company to provide legal services and also plans to use electronic public procurement to find a company securing collection of claims. NADSME plans to spend almost EUR 2.8 million ex-VAT for these services.
The National Agency for Small and Medium Enterprises is to undergo radical transformation. The Cabinet of Iveta Radicova first decided to shut down the agency over suspicion of maladministration of finances in the Fund of Funds, founded by the NADSME. It later agreed with Economy Minister Juraj Miskov on its transformation. The Cabinet was to discuss the future of the agency at the end of June of this year after inspecting the analysis of Fund of Funds’ activities elaborated by the Economy Ministry. However, ministers have not dealt with the future of the agency yet.
Economy Minister Juraj Miskov did not find common ground with the Entrepreneurs‘ Association of Slovakia (ZPS), which is one of the founding members of NADSME, on the transformation. The minister presented several alternatives for the agency’s future, expressing a preference for establishment of a new “super-agency,” to the Entrepreneurs‘ Association of Slovakia (ZPS) and the Slovak Sole Traders Union (SZZ), which is also a founding member of the agency. The new “super-agency” would assume the tasks of the Slovak Agency for Investment and Trade Development (SARIO) and some duties of the Slovak Innovation and Energy Agency (SIEA). Administration of the Fund of Funds or all its assets is to be transferred to an independent, renowned administrator as part of the transformation. The first discussion with a representative of the European Investment Bank has already taken place at the Economy Ministry.
“Representatives of entrepreneurs have expressed their fundamental disagreement with all suggested variants. Entrepreneurs’ associations call for preservation of their powers to the extent of existing, historically determined competencies for management of NADSME, including at least partial preservation of the co-ownership share in the new, transformed agency,” Economy Minister Juraj Miskov informed the Cabinet in May. Miskov believes that more time is required for further discussion regarding the future of NADSME and for solution seeking, because Slovakia may lose EUR 120 million by forcing the shutdown. Based on a legal analysis of the Economy Ministry, Slovakia will lose these sources if it closes or transforms NADSME without the approval of the other founding members, associations of entrepreneurs or the sole traders.
The National Agency for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises was established in 1993 based on the initiative of the EU and the Slovak government at that time. The agency focuses on development and growth of small and medium-sized companies, with the aim of boosting this sector’s competitiveness within the common European market and the market of third countries.
SITA