A delegation from the Government of Macedonia, led by Premier Nikola Gruevski that also includes Deputy PM and Finance Minister Zoran Stavreski, the Minister for Attracting Foreign Investments, Bill Pavleski, and the head of the Directorate for Technological Industrial Development Zones, Viktor Mizo, is paying a political and economic visit to the United States and Canada starting Tuesday.

During the visit, PM Gruevski is set to attend the 2012 Republican National Convention hosted by the city of Tampa. He will also attend the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte. The PM is scheduled to hold meetings with representatives from the two political parties, said the press service of the Government.

The visit will primarily focus on the economy, thus the government delegation will attend several business forums, where the advantages of Macedonia offered to foreign investors and the benefits for opening and running a business will be presented.

The delegation led by Mr. Gruevski is planned to visit several organisations and municipalities of the Macedonian diaspora in the U.S. and Canada.

In Canada, the governmental team will attend a business forum in Montreal, organised in cooperation with the Montreal Council on Foreign Relations and the local chamber of commerce. PM Gruevski is expected to visit several educational and health institutions in a bid to establish cooperation in these fields.

In Toronto, Mr. Gruevski and the government delegation are set to present the country's investment opportunities at a business forum organised in cooperation with the Ontario Trade and Investment Center. The PM will hold speeches at the Atlantic Council of Canada - a NATO-affiliated foreign policy think-tank. A separate meeting will occur with Steve Rodgers, president of the Toronto-based Automotive Parts Manufacturers' Association. PM Gruevski is scheduled to speak at an event by the Macedonian diaspora.

In Windsor, members of the government delegation will hold meetings with Macedonian immigrant organisations.

In the U.S. city of Tampa, the delegation will present the investment opportunities of Macedonia at a business forum organised in cooperation with the local chamber of commerce, apart from attending the Republican National Convention.

PM Gruevski is expected to visit the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and to address a business event there. Mr. Gruevski will also meet with Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado in the course of the visit.

In Detroit, the PM and the government delegation will attend a convention by the Macedonian Orthodox Church. In addition, the delegation is set to hold talks with representatives of several automobile manufacturers.

In Atlanta, Macedonia's investment opportunities will be presented at a business event organised in cooperation with the city's business community. The delegation is also planned to meet with representatives of companies that are potential investors in Macedonia.

In addition to attending the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte, the governmental delegation will meet with representatives of the National Democratic Institute.

As part of the economic aspect of the visit, the government delegation will have presentations before representatives of over 300 American and Canadian companies, direct talks with management teams of more than 50 potential investors will take place which is a chance to lobby amongst North-American companies to invest in Macedonia.

Previous business visits to countries abroad yielded positive effects and several large companies have reached decisions to invest in Macedonia as a result. Hence, opportunities for opening of 10.000 new jobs in the future have been created.

The visit aims at securing additional investments and resuming the positive trend of promoting Macedonia around the globe as a positive example and adequate destination for opening and running a business, reads the press release.