“The trade exchange between Turkey and Macedonia has marked eightfold increase in the past two decades which makes Turkey the ninth most important trade partner of Macedonia,” said PM Nikola Gruevski in his address at the Turkey-Macedonia business forum in Skopje organised by the MATTO Economic Chamber of Macedonia-Turkey.

Gruevski is convinced that there is big cooperation potential and called upon Turkish investors to use the benefits offered in Macedonia and invest. “We believe the progress of the state depends on the business development, hence we are constantly contacting the chambers of commerce and companies in Macedonia. We exchange opinions and accept ideas that would help the economy,” said Gruevski. He underlined that the business climate in Macedonia ranked it 23^rd at a global level and emphasised the benefits foreign investors get if they decide to invest in Macedonia. MATTO Managing Board Chair Ejup Kahveci said the total investors of MATTO members who invest in or trade with Macedonia reach one billion euros, and are expected to reach two billion euros by 2015. “One of MATTO’s main goals is to create strong lobby among Turkish and Macedonian investors,” said Kahveci. He demanded that the Turkish lira is convertible in Macedonia and promised to have the University of Istanbul open a university in Macedonia specialised in technology, adding that they were interested in opening a Turkish investment zone in Macedonia.
Sources: Dnevnik; Utrinski Vesnk; Vest; Vecer; Nova Makedonija; kanal 5; Sitel; Alfa; MTV1