The growth of industrial production of 4.5% in February, compared to February 2012, is an indicator that upward trend of industrial production in Macedonia has commenced, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Zoran Stavreski, said during the visit of metallurgical plant “Jugohrom Ferro Alloys” in Jegunovce.

- I am encouraged by the good results of “Jugohrom” at the beginning of this year and I think the plant worked well in the last couple of months. All furnaces are operating, a thousand of people are at work, being the highest number of workers in the last 10 and so years. “Jugohrom” is an integral part of the index of industrial production. I expect, in the coming months, the plant to continue the current trend and Macedonian industry to continue the positive rates, thus encouraging growth of economy and GDP as a whole, Stavreski stated.

This, as he underlined, is good since it implies now jobs and better days for the Macedonian economy.

- We have always been here when “Jugohrom” needed help to withstand and continue operating, it is the pillar of the business sector in this region, and it will continue to be so in future as well. The Government and local authorities will continue to extend all necessary support, as they did before, when land was to be privatized and “Jugohrom” export was to be stimulated, Stavreski said.

“Jugohrom Ferro Alloys” CEO, Branislav Gurovik, pointed out that a thousand of workers work in the plant for the first time in the last 20 years.

- We work well, we worked well before, however, not with the same capacity, and, as time passes by, we are getting even better in our operations, Gurovik said, adding that the Government and local authorities provided maximum support all the way through.

He underlined that only “Jugohrom” increased production by at least 20% in the first two months in 2013 and realized export in the amount of US$ 53 million.

“Jugohrom” exports around 6.5 million tons ferrosilicon monthly throughout the world.