Almost 12,000 entrepreneurs received interest-free loans from the Ministry of Finance

The Ministry of Finance reported that, as part of the Emergency Support for Micro, Small, and Medium-Sized Enterprises project, Kyrgyz entrepreneurs were provided with interest-free loans totaling 9 billion 486 million KGS. A total of 11,896 entrepreneurs received assistance.

This makes the program one of the largest instruments of direct financial support for business in the country.

The project has been implemented since 2021 with the support of the World Bank and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank. It is part of the Cabinet of Ministers' anti-crisis measures plan and is aimed at preserving businesses and jobs in the face of economic turmoil.

According to the Ministry of Finance, as of December 1, the structure of disbursements is as follows:

• 9,675 entrepreneurs received up to 1 million KGS. The total amount is 5.78 billion;
• 2,194 entrepreneurs received up to 3 million KGS. The total amount is 3.71 billion.

Thus, almost 12,000 businesses received real financial support. This allowed them to stabilize their activities and reduce the risk of mass closures during the crisis. The program was launched on March 31, 2021, and has become one of the key mechanisms for supporting SMEs in the country.