The Ministry of Industry and Trade (MPO) has announced the second call of the Guarantee 2015 – 2023 programme for the provision of loan guarantees for small and mid-sized businesses. Minister of Industry and Trade Jan Mládek (ČSSD) said that small businesses with up to 50 employees will get a guarantee of up to 70 percent of the principal of the guaranteed loan that may amount up to CZK 4m. The first call of the programme provided 2,540 guarantees worth CZK 6.6bn, which helped entrepreneurs guarantee loans of more than CZK 9bn.