Austria is currently the second-largest investor in Macedonia. We are here to make it the primary one, providing information to companies that want to use Macedonia's benefits, said Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski at a business forum, organized in cooperation with Financial Times.

PM Gruevski told about 100 Austrian businessmen that Macedonia has a stable economy, stable currency, low debt of 34.3 percent of GDP, which is very important in the current state of eurozone crisis.

"It is encouraging that the GDP growth has encompassed all sectors, which have registered positive rates", he added.

Macedonia has concluded free trade agreements with all European states, not only EU members, but also EFTA state, Turkey, Ukraine and the Balkans.

"This opens a market of 660 million consumers, meaning that production in Macedonia can be exported duty-free", stressed PM Gruevski.

He also referred to the gasification and the recent signing of the agreement with Russia over Macedonia's involvement in gas pipeline South Stream.

"This gas pipeline will secure new gas quantities and long-term energy stability of the country. Moreover, we are working on projects for development of distribution networks, which could lead to significant energy savings for companies", said Gruevski.

He invited Austrian businessmen to visit Macedonia and see first-hand the investment opportunities, promising the Government would do everything to help them in realizing their business plans.

Vice Premier for Economic Affairs Vladimir Pesevski, Minister for Foreign Investments Vele Samak, and Directorate for Technological-Industrial Development Zones CEO Viktor Mizo also delivered presentations over the benefits of doing business in Macedonia.

The Macedonian delegation is set to hold the next business forum in Munich.