North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski has invited Turkish businesspeople to invest in his country, saying Skopje offers access to European markets and a stable business environment.
“The doors are open, the opportunities are real, and we can build the future together,” Mickoski said at the Türkiye-North Macedonia Business Forum in Istanbul on June 12.
The forum was organized by Türkiye’s Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK), with officials and business representatives from both countries attending.
Mickoski said Türkiye was among the first countries to recognize North Macedonia’s independence in 1991 and that political friendship should now translate into stronger economic cooperation.
He pointed to the human ties between the two countries, saying more than 1 million people in Türkiye had roots in North Macedonia.
“There are few countries in the world that can boast of such deep human ties as exist between both countries today,” he said.
Mickoski said North Macedonia’s location made it a natural gateway linking Türkiye, the Middle East and Southeast Europe with the center of the European continent.
Turkish companies could establish production facilities integrated into European supply chains and export to European markets under favorable conditions, he said.
The prime minister said his government had taken steps to improve the business climate, reduce administrative procedures and digitize public services.
“My country is emerging as a country that offers stability, predictability and exceptionally favorable conditions for business development,” he said.
Mickoski said many Turkish companies were already operating successfully in North Macedonia, giving new investors a familiar environment and an established business network.
He also cited the country’s young and educated workforce, stable financial system and technology development zones.
The government has prepared a National Development Strategy through 2044 in partnership with the United Nations Development Program, he said.
The strategy identifies key areas with growth potential and aims to turn North Macedonia into a regional hub for production, logistics, modern technologies and energy, Mickoski said.
“Our goal is not just to attract investment. Our goal is to build a long-term partnership that will create value for both partners,” he added.
Turkish Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said ties between Türkiye and North Macedonia were advancing and that regional conflicts had shown the need for alternative transport corridors.
Uraloğlu said Türkiye had invested $355 billion in infrastructure, mainly transport infrastructure, over the past 23 years.
He said a cooperation agreement between Turkish State Railways and North Macedonia’s railway infrastructure agency would help strengthen bilateral cooperation.
“We are situated at a highly strategic point connecting Europe and Asia, therefore we are gradually increasing these transit points day by day,” Uraloğlu said.
He also referred to Türkiye’s work on the Development Road Corridor from the Gulf region and said Ankara was ready to share its experience with North Macedonia.
North Macedonia’s Government Secretary-General Igor Janushev said Skopje was focusing on Corridors 8 and 10 to place the country at the center of regional and allied transport needs.
Janushev said North Macedonia planned to invest 5.5 billion euros in infrastructure over the next five to seven years and had signed a strategic partnership agreement with Britain to help finance projects.
He said Turkish companies were already playing an active role in railway and highway projects in the country.
North Macedonia also plans to launch a 450 million euro tender for the third section of Corridor 8 in cooperation with the European Investment Bank and the European Union in the coming weeks, Janushev said.
