Gruevski: high industrial growth rate was the backbone of the economic growth in 2015

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said that the 11 percent growth rate of industrial production in November, coming on top of a prolonged period of industrial expansion, shows that the economy has brushed aside the effects of the political disturbances in the beginning of the year, and continues to respond well to the economic policies.

"We have seen a high level of industrial growth over a longer period of time. It was only for a few months, during the political crisis, that this was interrupted, but soon afterwards we returned to high growth rates. The expansion of industrial productions means that we will continue seeing employment rise, will keep adding new jobs and growing our exports", Gruevski said during a press event on Wednesday.

The annual industrial production growth rate reached 4,4 percent. "This solid growth rate affects the gross domestic product, which has grown by 3,4 percent in the first three quarters. We expect to register a growth rate of 3,5 percent when we include the fourth quarter. This is among the top seven or eight results in Europe, and the industrial growth has been part of the entire story", Gruevski said.