The potentials and the traditionally strong cordial ties between Macedonia and Turkey are an additional reason to believe that there are plenty of unexhausted opportunities. This business forum is the right move in identifying them.

This was stated by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski before Turkish businessmen in Izmir at a trade and investment forum organised by the Confederation of Turkish Businessmen and Industrialists (TUSKON) and the Aegean and Western Mediterranean Industrialists’ and Businessmen’s Federation (ESİDEF), where a government business team presented Macedonia's investment opportunities.

Inviting businessmen to visit Macedonia and to inspect the favourable business climate, the PM said the government continuously worked on improving the business environment and working conditions for domestic and foreign companies. Our goals, he added, are accelerated economic growth, development of the private sector and opening of new jobs.

"Your country has become a regional economic power, it has built many bridges amongst civilisations and keeps on promoting global stability and peace. The Republic of Turkey is undoubtedly one of the biggest allies of the Republic of Macedonia. You have been supporting us unconditionally in the past decade. Despite nourishing deep traditional, historical and cultural links, we are also connected by an impressive economic cooperation and years-long mutual trust between Turkish and Macedonian businessmen and by our governments' commitment to reforms," PM Gruevski noted.

He added that countries' external trade exchange in 2010 stood at 311 million US dollars and it amounted to $380 million in the first 11 months of 2011. "A vital impulse for strengthening the bilateral trade cooperation are the free trade agreements signed with other countries allowing an access to a market of over 650 million consumers," Gruevski said.

ESIDEF vice president Mustafa Ozkara said that the trade exchange between Macedonia and Turkey was insufficient, urging attempts to be made to boost the amount to a billion dollars.

Nearly 100 companies from Turkey are functioning in Macedonia, said minister without portfolio Hadi Nezir calling on Turkish businessmen, especially those of Macedonian origin, to invest in Macedonia.

Macedonia offers political, economic, financial and monetary stability, minister for foreign investments Vele Samak stated. "Turkish companies can use Macedonia as a bridge to Europe, where European standards are applied, but with lower costs,"

Nearly 300 representatives of companies from the region of Izmir attended the forum.

Government's team, led by PM Nikola Gruevski, resumes its tour to present Macedonia's business opportunities in Bursa. In the past few days, the team visited Istanbul, Kayseri, Konya and Gaziantep.