Direct financing from the European Union is helping small businesses grow and the government is working to improve the infrastructure in industrial estates for 1,000 SMEs which employ 3,000 people to have a better working environment, Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi said yesterday.

The Prime Minister yesterday visited SMEs in Tal-Handaq as part of the Nationalist Party’s activities making Worker’s Day. He was accompanied by Parliamentary Secretary Edwin Vassallo.

John Buttigieg, owner of Papillon Caterers, said the company had benefited from Lm40,000 through a European Union scheme. Small businesses benefit from schemes over and above the EUROS 805 million Malta will get between 2007 and 2013.

Through such financial aid, the company can increase its production, will start to export them and will also employ more people.

Dr Gonzi said that infrastructure improvement is a way with which the government is helping small businesses to become successful.

The Prime Minister also visited Beautiful Marble, PJ Forge and Jeffrey Engineering.