Macedonia Invites Slovenian Investors
Macedonian Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski encouraged Slovenian companies to invest in Macedonia, which is currently undergoing structural reforms to cut red tape for foreign investors, at a Slovenian-Macedonian business conference on Friday.
"The first results of a wide range of reforms have already become visible: we have also obtained positive evaluations from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and the World Bank," Buckovski said, adding that bilateral cooperation should be strengthened.
Economics Minister Andrej Vizjak and president of Chamber of Commerce (GZS) Jozko Cuk agreed that cooperation would be boosted by the amended economic cooperation accord signed on Thursday by Buckovski and Vizjak to cut red tape.
Macedonia is one of the trade partners with the largest trade gap with Slovenia: Slovenia exported EUR 81m worth of goods in Macedonia in the first seven months, and imported EUR 17m.
Cuk explained Slovenia's export to Macedonia was falling slightly, also due to the expiry of the free trade agreement between the countries after Slovenia's EU entry. However, imports from Macedonia are rising, making the trade more balanced.
Slovenian investments to Macedonia have increased, reaching EUR 8m so far this year, Cuk said. The central bank said that the value of all Slovenian investments to the country so far amounted to EUR 90m.
"We are hoping for even more Slovenian investment next year and more contracts signed between Slovenian and Macedonian partners," Cuk underscored.
Buckovski said he expected Slovenia to become the main investor in Macedonia. According to him, energy and the restructuring of agriculture are the sectors that offer the best prospects.
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