Macedonia's solid fiscal package, business climate, the Government's excellent treatment of foreign investors and great number of free trade agreements are just some of the reasons that should attract French companies to invest in the country, Vice-Premier Vladimir Pesevski said on Thursday.

All investors that will create new jobs are welcomed, Pesevski said at the 2. Macedonian-French Business Forum in Skopje.

"We shall help to all of those who wish to kick-start a company in our country. Via state assistance and simplification of administrative procedures, we shall facilitate a realization of the plans of all of those who wish to set up any (business) operation in Macedonia," Pesevski said.

There are many possibilities for cooperation with France, said the Minister responsible for attracting foreign investments, Bill Pavleski.
"We wish for Macedonia to be one of the destinations for investments of French companies," Pavleski said.

Macedonia is especially attractive for the French companies, which wish to relocate their investments in South Africa due to the region's instability, Pavleski said.

All French companies present in Macedonia are satisfied with the country's business climate, said Alain Richard, the special representative of France's Foreign Ministry for Western Balkan countries.

"My task is to attract others, to tell them that the business climate in Macedonia is really favourable,” Richard said.