The 'Self-Employment' program, which offers opportunity for opening own business with a EUR 3,000 grant will create new jobs, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski told reporters on Thursday.

The public call for jobless people seeking employment, which will run by March 10, offers a grant of EUR 3,000 for procurement of equipment and materials and additional EUR 250 for business plans, accounting procedures related to kick-starting a company, Gruevski said.

Thus far 5,100 jobs have been opened under this program. The latest call is expected to bring about 1,000 grant beneficiaries, which should substantially increase the number of jobs, he added.

Gruevski invited all jobless people able to present a business idea to respond to the public call. Sound business plan, innovative ideas and hiring of at least one person will be considered as advantage.

The self-employment program is realized by the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy, the Employment Agency, the Entrepreneurship Promotion agency and the UNDP.