More than 700 businesses have been filed their applications for loans under the sovereign guarantee fund launched by the Albanian government to help the coronavirus-affected businesses pay their employees and loans worth around 7.3 billion Lek have been already disbursed to businesses, the Minister of Finance and Economy Anila Denaj said on Saturday.
The Finance and Economy Minister continued her tour of meetings and direct communication with business community, visiting earlier today a hospitality and leisure business in the coastal area of Golem that has benefited support under the first guarantee fund to pay a total of 60 employees.
“A total of 700 businesses have applied for lending worth 7. 277 billion lek under the first sovereign guarantee fund until end of May and some 419 applications have been already approved,” Denaj sajd.
“Tourism is one of the worst-hit sectors by the lockdown measures. Over the years, a growing number of international tourists are appreciating service and Albania’s natural beauties, but also investments. Reopening of the tourism comes with a series of challenges and the challenge to attract foreign tourists so that they return to the country, as well as to attract a larger number of visitors as part of what we have termed as patriotic tourism,” Denaj said.
She urged Albanian citizens to appreciate service, quality and solidarity among us and spend vacation in Albania instead of travelling abroad.
Denaj noted that visitors from Poland account for around 70% of the international tourists visiting Albania over the past years.
In April, Albanian government set up an $ 100 million guarantee fund as part of its relief package to support the coronavirus-affected sectors of the economy.
Meanwhile a second guarantee fund worth $150 million was approved under the extended support package to help businesses remain liquid.
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