A cornerstone laying ceremony was held Wednesday marking the start of a construction of a new factory  of the Dutch company VPTEX in Macedonia for professional industrial and protective workwear - a EUR two-million project - which is to open 180 jobs.

Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, Vice-Premier Zoran Stavreski, Minister of Transport and Communications Mile Janakieski, Dutch Ambassador to Macedonia Mariette Shurman, VPTEX Manager Hub Zewald and Ilinden municipality Mayor Zika Stojanovski had the honor to lay the corner stone.

This project is yet another proof of the cumulative inflow of direct Dutch investments in Macedonia and bolstering of the bilateral trade exchange, Gruevski said at the ceremony.

"To us this is a confirmation of the trust of Dutch investors in Macedonia's sound macroeconomic foundations and favorable business climate," the PM said.

The Government will keep working on improving the domestic business climate, promoting abroad the opportunities for investing in Macedonia, nourishing the direct contacts with companies and the partnership with the business sector, he added.

Kick-starting a construction of new factory in times of economic crisis gives special significance to today's event, Stavreski said.

It means that the Government's long-term efforts for improving the business climate have been bearing fruits, confirming that Macedonia is becoming a desirable destination for investments, he said.

The good business climate has been one of the reasons for our decision to invest in Macedonia, Zewald said.

This investment expresses the trust of Dutch companies in Macedonia, Ambassador Shurman said.

Van Puijenbroek Textiel was founded in 1865 as a family business with a storage space measuring only a few square metres. Since then, Van Puijenbroek Textiel has grown and is now a leading player on the international market for professional industrial and safety clothing made from high-quality textile fibres.