At the conference “Business Integrity for a Competitive Economy,” attended by representatives of the business community, state institutions, and the State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption (DKSK), during the panel discussion, the President of the Economic Chamber, Branko Azeski, stated that this event should represent a turning point. If everyone sitting here points out at least one example to the State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption — including the Government, the private sector, and the non-governmental sector — and says openly what everyone already knows, one of the direst problems we face, corruption, will begin to be addressed.

The country suffers from overemployment in the civil service, as well as institutions, agencies, and regulatory bodies that do not demonstrate a high level of efficiency or effectiveness. There are also frequent and ongoing changes of names in leadership positions within the executive branch, which result in changes in policies, new methodologies, new rulebooks, new laws, and a lack of continuity in creating a stable socio-economic environment. Digitalization is one of the tools for overcoming some of the problems faced by businesses and citizens. However, according to Azeski, a platform and action plan for action are needed, through which the problems being identified will start to be resolved, together with the active participation of all stakeholders in society. Only in this way can something concrete be achieved, as opposed to the mainly declarative commitments so far, which have not produced significant results. Azeski also pointed out that corruption is a topic from which senior government officials, and even business representatives, often avoid speaking openly, while small and medium-sized enterprises face this problem daily at institutional counters and administrative offices.

It was emphasized at the conference that business integrity is not a burden, but an advantage, and that commitment to transparency makes small and medium-sized enterprises far more competitive and gives them a significantly greater advantage.

The conference was also attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Aleksandar Nikoloski, who stressed that Macedonia must protect its domestic companies. According to him, local small and medium-sized enterprises are not uncompetitive within an open and liberal system.

“Corruption is a two-way street, and without an integrity-based private sector, there can be no integrity-based public sector, and vice versa,” emphasized the President of the State Commission for the Prevention of Corruption, Adem Chuchulj.

The conference was organized within the framework of the EU co-financed project “Business with Integrity North Macedonia – Mobilizing Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs) as Leaders Against Corruption.” Participants included Pavel Usvatov, Director of the Rule of Law Program at KAS Southeast Europe, German Ambassador Petra Drexler, Deputy Head of the Delegation of the European Union Ben Nupnau, President of the Association of Business Women Valentina Disoska, as well as Snezhana Zdraveska, Finance Manager and Compliance Officer at Marquardt Macedonia.