Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski presented Sunday awards to the winner and other finalists who took part at a competition for best business idea within the project "Factory of Business Ideas".

104 business ideas from 23 Macedonian cities were submitted for the competition and were mostly related to services, food industry, IT and tourism. The winner is Bitola-native Petar Koteski, who submitted a project on development and sale of video games on the global market. He is awarded with 10.000 euros, while the five finalists will receive 1.000 euros each.

All over the world, in all developed economies, Gruevski said, entrepreneurship and innovation are the main precondition for economic development. Small businesses established by these entrepreneurs are the driving force of a country's economy, according to him.

"In Macedonia, the postulates of the former social order are still present. Many people prefer to be employed in a state administration than to take the matter in their hands and think how to start up a business and earn money on their own," said Gruevski.

Thus, he added, we have launched reforms in the education aimed at developing a concept that encourages creative way of thinking.

State institutions offer programs and measures to support entrepreneurs, such as several self-employment programs and loans for small and medium-sized enterprises provided by the European Investment Bank.

"I expect young people, students and jobless people to be encouraged by this competition and to face the future without fear of challenges," the PM stressed.

The event was also attended by Minister of Education and Science Pance Kralev.