EU PRO Programme funded by the European Union and the Republic of Serbia
  • Republic of Serbia
  • UNOPS

Pirot, 27 February 2019

“Bohemian Horseshoe - Boemska potkovica" – developing at a galloping speed

Owing to the European Union funds amounting to more than two million euros, granted through the EU PRO Development Programme, a hundred and six companies from the southeast and southwest of Serbia will be able to upgrade their production. Among them are three companies from Pirot: Boemska potkovica d.o.o. (food producing enterprise), PR Krojačko trgovinska radnja Boban Gošić (clothing production) and Promo furniture.

Today, we talked to the owner of Boemska potkovica, Dalibor Tošić, who applied for the purchase of two machines that will enable achieving higher quality in the production of flattened sausage. The contract has already been signed and a delivery of equipment worth in total thirty-two thousand euros is expected. Out of this amount, the EU has financed 20,000 euros, while 12,000 euros will be invested by the company itself. According to Tošić, the allocated funds have a specified purpose, that is, they have to be spent on the machines for which the assistance was asked.

Tošić points out that these are specific machines, which shorten the time needed to process the meat and thus secure the food safety of the products. Thanks to the increase in the volume of output, secure placement of goods on the domestic market would be ensured, and the plan is to also obtain the documentation for exports. In this respect, it is necessary to fulfil the requirements of the line ministry and to carry out a market analysis in order to plan the volume of production. Generally, it should be pointed out that the requirements of the call for proposals were rigorous, and there are contractual obligations to be honoured in the coming period.

"The requirements of this call for proposals included being a socially responsible company, employing staff, and we were meeting both requirements; moreover, we also presented our further plans, which this Programme has recognized, and we were included in the group of 106 selected companies," said Tošić. As its contractual obligation under this grant, "Boemska potkovica" needs to implement a CSR activity worth 50,000 dinars, but Tošić says that a donation to the child welfare clinic in Pirot will amount to 200,000 dinars.

According to Tošić, he received significant assistance in this business from the Pirot Regional Contractual Chamber of Commerce. "Thanks to the right information at the right time, we have been granted the funds, so one should make use of the existence of these institutions," concludes Tošić.

Original text written by Plusonline
Text: Plusonline.rs
Published on 28 February 2019