Macedonia considers Germany, Austria, and other EU countries, as friends and significant supporters of its strategic goals, above all the EU integration, but also the economic development, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said Wednesday at a working lunch with representatives of the  'Konrad Adenauer' Foundation, Macedonian-German, Macedonian-Austrian Business Associations and the European Business Association (EBA).

"The focus of Macedonia's political establishment and business community is directed towards Germany and Austria. Their stable economies are crucial for Macedonia to bolster its export and maintain the high economic growth rates in such a turbulent period," Gruevski said.

I encorage you to turn your enthusiasm into a business determination that will bring benefit to our countries, the PM said.

"I believe that boosting of the cooperation in spheres of economy, trade exchange, and especially in investments, is particularly significant for Macedonia's interest, but also for the interest of companies you are representing," Gruevski said.

German and Austrian companies are among top Macedonia's investors, Gruevski said.

"Austria is also a significant market for our products, while the management of Austrian companies is a role model for Macedonia's further development," the PM said. 

As a result of advancing the business climate and promotion of Macedonia abroad, the interest of foreign companies to invest in the country is growing, Gruevski said, mentioning the favorable conditions of domestic Technological–Industrial Development Zones (TIDZs).

Several foreign companies have been already working in Skopje TIDZ, and as a result of investors' interest a construction of new zones across Macedonia is either underway or is going to commence next April, the PM said.

He also mentioned that this year the World Bank ranked Macedonia among the top reformers.

Highlighting the country's advantages for foreign investments, Gruevski said that Johnson Controls was opening another production plant in the Macedonia. The investments of Italy's company 'Technohose', US 'Kemet Electronics Corporation', Russia's 'Prodis' - part of the pharmaceutical holding 'Protek Group', India's 'Maderson Group' and Germany's 'Kromberg & Schubert' have already arrived to the country, he added.

German Ambassador to Macedonia Gudrun Elisabeth Steinacker expressed satisfaction with the bilateral business relations, saying that everything good could be better.

"Macedonia has done a lot to improve its business climate and I am pleased that 'Kromberg & Schubert' has recently kicked off the realization of its investment in your country," she said.

It seems that Germany will avoid the recession next year, which means a recovery for whole Europe, Steinacker said.

She announced that a group of German businessmen would pay a visit to Macedonia soon and expressed hope for it to be crowned with their investments in the country.

Don't be afraid of the crisis, it is a financial one and presents a problem to banks, said former EBA president Gunter Offner.

"In spite of the crisis, companies in Europe will seek opportunities for investing. Don't be frustrated as you are going to be rather successful eventually. The second half of 2012 will bring positive surprises in regard to the economic development," he said.

Austrian Ambassador to Macedonia Thomas Michael Baier underlined the significance of powerful economic partners for each country in time of crisis.

In a period of global economic turmoil it is really important to have strong economic partners, he said.

"Austria is among Macedonia's five top trade partners and over 20 Austrian companies are present here. For us it means that we are obliged to keep contributing to the mutual economic ties and to making Macedonia more attractive investment destination," Baier said.