Government team led by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski presented opportunities for investment and doing business in Macedonia before 60 companies at a business forum in Russian city Nizhny Novgorod.

Nizhny Novgorod is the capital of the namesake region, which is one of the fast-growing areas in the Russian Federation, including developed agriculture, metallurgy, mechanical engineering, automotive and processing industries.

Novgorod Chamber of Commerce and Industry chairman Dmitry Krasnov offered specific steps towards launching more intensive cooperation with Macedonian companies and implementation of projects.

"The business community wishes to establish specific information exchange in order to realize concrete projects. We urge our counterparts from the Economic Chamber of Macedonia to develop an e-register of companies, in order to facilitate the information exchange between Nizhny Novgorod and Macedonia. We hope today's visit will be used as a starting point towards the establishment of successful bilateral economic cooperation", stressed Krasnov.

PM Gruevski said the visit aimed at creating conditions for more intensive and dynamic bilateral cooperation.

"Our goal is to visit as many regions as possible, brief local companies with Macedonia's business opportunities and benefits, so that they choose the country as the place to develop their business and distribute products at the European market", added Gruevski.

With regards to Macedonia's comparative advantages, he referred to the investments that have already been realized in the country.

"Despite the fragile economic growth of the European continent, we have welcomed the investments of 'Johnson Controls', 'Kemet Electronics', 'Krombert & Schubert', "Draxlmaier' and others over the past couple of years. Companies from China, India and Qatar have also demonstrated serious interest to invest, which is a confirmation that we are on the right path, the one of economic prosperity. Companies from Nizhny Novgorod, leaders in the metallurgy, automotive and petrochemical fields, but also others, are more than welcome in the Republic of Macedonia", emphasized Gruevski.

Vice Premier and Finance Minister Zoran Stavreski highlighted the benefits for doing business offered to foreign investors through the lowest tax package in Europe.

Minister for Foreign Investments Bill Pavleski presented opportunities for investments in the tourism and energy fields, whereas Agency for Foreign Investments and Export Promotion deputy-director Hristijan Delev referred to the possibilities for export of Macedonian agriculture products to Nizhny Novgorod.