The favourable conditions for running a business and the investment opportunities offered to foreign investors in Macedonia were presented Thursday to representatives of Turkish companies in the food industry, agriculture and construction.

The business forum, organized in cooperation with Turkey's Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) and the Adana Chamber of Industry, was addressed by Premier Nikola Gruevski who focused on the investment benefits put at disposal of the Turkish companies.

Gruevski said the country had opened several technological and industrial development zones that were offering an array of benefits to foreign investors, including the opportunity of not paying profit tax and personal tax in the first decade.

"Every company in the zones is exempted from paying customs duties and value added tax for the materials that are being imported in order to manufacture goods that will be exported," Gruevski stated adding that infrastructure had been built in the zones.

The Macedonian PM also referred to solving the disadvantage of being a small market by signing free trade treaties with all European countries.

"Macedonia has signed free trade agreements with the entire continent, with the EU countries, EFTA members, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, with the Balkan countries and with Turkey as well. Thus, we have managed to solve the disadvantage of being a small market. Macedonia previously being a small market of two million consumers, with all the free trade agreements that have been signed, enables the companies functioning there to export goods on a market of 660 million consumers without paying customs duties," Gruevski noted.

Referring to infrastructure, Gruevski said investments were being made in the road and railroad infrastructure in addition to the existing ones. "At the moment three new highways and a railroad track to Bulgaria are being built. Works are also under way for the construction of a gas pipeline set to begin next year," Gruevski emphasized.

The ministers in charge of attracting foreign investments Bill Pavleski and Furkan Cako also delivered addresses at the forum.

Zeki Kivanc - chairman of the Adana Chamber of Industry - stressed that Macedonia was very interesting for the Turkish companies mostly due to the proximity of the European market, the investment conditions and the favourable climate laying foundations for a solid economic cooperation. The business forum in Adana is crucial because of the opportunity to strengthen the business ties, according to him.