North Macedonia nurtures European values, manners and political will, and builds good-neighborly relations crucial for economic prosperity and a better standard of living. I’ll reiterate my message from the Delphi Economic Forum held in Athens – we need economically prosperous, 21st century Balkans, integrated into the EU. Furthermore, we need the region to live in the present, build a prosperous future and learn from the past that division and discord lead us nowhere, Prime Minister Zoran Zaev told the opening of the first Skopje Economic Forum on Wednesday.
Greece, Zaev stressed, supports North Macedonia’s European path, while the country’s NATO membership ensures its safety and security and presents an excellent opportunity for economic development.
“North Macedonia met all the requirements to start EU accession negotiations, as confirmed by the European Commission and 26 out of the 27 member states. I want to thank EU members that have supported the start of this process under the current Portuguese Presidency and the upcoming Slovenian Presidency,” the PM said, expressing special thanks for the continuous support offered by the United States.
He sent at the first Skopje Economic Forum a message to investors to use opportunities and invest in North Macedonia.
“The government created a favorable business climate and equal opportunities for both domestic and foreign investors. The national economy is stable and growing. We’ve ensured considerable growth for investors through EUR 3.4 billion total production at free zones in 2020. Investments make up 46% of total export at national level and close to 8% of the country’s GDP,” Zaev noted.
Favorable investment conditions at industrial development zones, he added, have been recognized by investors.
Founder and chairperson of the Delphi Economic Forum, Symeon G. Tsomokos, told the opening that main goal of the event is to bring together political and business leaders from the region to discuss the political advancement of Southeast Europe.
Aris Vlachos, Chairman of the Hellenic Business Association in North Macedonia, underlined that Greek businesses have in the past few years been contributing to the economic advancement of North Macedonia by investing in key areas, such as the energy and banking sector, as well as trade and industry.
“Greek investors have invested a total of EUR 5,000 million, generating 25,000 new jobs. We’d like to see this trend increase, as well as more regional initiatives for cooperation and investment, set to encourage growth,” Vlachos stressed.
The Skopje Economic Forum entitled “A new dawn: Laying the foundations for stability and prosperity in North Macedonia” is an initiative of the Delphi Economic Forum, in cooperation with the Hellenic Business Association in North Macedonia.
