The management of the EIMIN will meet Akmenė and Šiauliai entrepreneurs to discuss business promotion measures
Karolis Žemaitis, the Vice-Minister of the Economy and Innovation, and Iveta Paludnevičiūtė, the Chancellor of the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation, will visit Akmenė and Šiauliai on 3-4 August to present business promotion measures, discuss business development opportunities and meet with the representatives of local businesses and Free Economic Zones (FEZ).
‘The Ministry has consistently allocated funding for the development of industrial territories and FEZs. This year alone, we have allocated EUR 17 million for this purpose throughout Lithuania. Investments in the existing LEZs and industrial areas help to attract more high value-added manufacturing and service companies, which in turn create well-paid jobs for the residents. Attracting investors also depends on the supply of talents, and to this end, the Ministry has provided scholarships to encourage young people to choose higher education institutions of Šiauliai and establish career-relevant relationship,’ said the Vice-Minister K. Žemaitis.
Responding to the particularly high demand for engineering and information technology specialists, which are particularly lacking in Šiauliai, the city with a strong industrial tradition, higher education institutions in Šiauliai region are one of the largest recipients of the incentive scholarships for students who have chosen the STEM programmes granted by the Ministry. In 2020, 66 scholarships were awarded to higher education institutions in Šiauliai region, in 2021 – 79, in 2022 – 66, and this year 64 scholarships are planned.
During the visit to Akmenė and Šiauliai, the investment plan of the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation for the amount of EUR 1 billion will be presented to the local entrepreneurs and, according to the plan, calls for the amount of EUR 365 million for business innovation and investment, calls for the amount of EUR 320 million for digitalisation of the state and business, and calls for the amount of EUR 268 million for greener economy will be launched by the end of 2023.
‘Šiauliai County already ranks fourth among all Lithuanian counties in terms of investments of the European Union funds and is only EUR 0.5 million behind Klaipėda County. Therefore, we would like to encourage entrepreneurs to continue to actively use the investments foreseen in the 1 billion plan, which will help to ensure business stability,’ said the Chancellor I. Paludnevičiūtė.
Meetings with Šiauliai entrepreneurs, representatives of the municipality and LEZs are planned in Šiauliai. The Vice-Minister and the Chancellor will also visit the companies NMF Group and Reklamos diktatorius.
During the visit in Akmenė, the Vice-Minister and the Chancellor will meet with entrepreneurs from Naujoji Akmenė, representatives of the municipality and the LEZ, and will visit the particle board and furniture plants of VMG Group.