The Deputy Prime Minister of the Government for economic affairs and coordination of economic sectors, Mila Carovska, along with the Ministers for foreign investments, Zorica Apostolska, Dr. Bardulj Dauti and Dr. Elvin Hasan, the Directors of the Directorate for Technological Industrial Development Zones, Aleksandar Mladenovski, of the Fund for Innovations, Jovan Despotovski, and of the Agency for Foreign Investments and Export Promotion, Arben Vila, as well as along with representatives of other state bodies, held a work meeting with representatives of the member companies of the Foreign Investors Council on 31/01/2020.

The goal of the meeting was to present the implementation of the economic policies of the Government regarding the foreign and domestic investments, as well as to familiarize the Deputy Prime Minister with the challenges and the situation that the foreign investors are facing in their everyday operations and with the proposals to overcome them.

The President of the Foreign Investors Council and CEO of EVN, Stefan Peter, pointed out that the meeting with the Deputy Prime Minister and the Government team is being held at the right time and provides an impulse suggesting that despite the fact we are in pre-election period, the economy should continue to function and develop with the expected dynamics.

“This meeting is very important to the Foreign Investors Council and comes at the right time because we all respect the Przhino Agreement and the Parliament will have a break, but the global economy and the economy in North Macedonia are not taking a break and the business sector does not stop. Therefore, I am thankful that we can discuss the necessary economic reforms at this meeting, represented in our 2018 White Book. I call on all of my colleagues, representatives of domestic and foreign companies, not to wait with their decision-making, not wait for the election end, but to act now. The business must function and develop”, highlighted Peter.

He also mentioned that the Council does not address problems to the Government, but solutions. The President of the Council reminded the economic policymakers of the recommendations from the White Book for resolving the open issues that were identified by the foreign investors in this country, as well as of the specific requirements of the companies from the free economic zones that were discussed at the previous meetings of the Association of Foreign Companies with Technologically Advanced Production with the Prime Minister Zaev and the economic team of the Government of the RNM.

The Deputy Prime Minister for economic affairs, Mila Carovska, which led the Government team at the meeting, pointed out that she will be committed to reconciliation of the supply and the demand in the labor market. She also informed that around ten percent of the proposals of the companies, listed in the 2018 White Book, are already realized.

- As Government, we analyzed all their suggestions, we have made cross sections, and today, at this meeting, we will discuss what we have realized to date and what remains as a challenge and I consider that we have a good starting position because around ten percent of their proposals have already been realized. Additionally, around 62% are being realized, owing to the fact that a considerable part of the regulative is in the scope of the labor law. Specifically, safety and health at work and the new law on labor relations, which we developed along with the chambers of commerce. A large number of the requirements in the White Book have already been addressed in the new legal act that we expect to enter legislative procedure upon the constitution of the new Government, said Carovska.

The attending member companies of the Foreign Investors Council delivered their proposals to the Government representatives for resolving the most pressing problems they are facing in their everyday operations related to the tax regulation, especially rationalization of the paraficsal charges, the outflow of skilled labor from this country, infrastructure improvement, issues related to the minimum wage, financial support of investments on the part of the state and the possibility to improve specific legal acts in this area, the need for consultation with the Foreign Investors Council when adopting or amending legal regulations, as well as the need for creating foreseeable and certain business ambiance that will guarantee an appropriate, timely and optimal planning of the business decisions of the foreign investors in the country.