A Bulgarian – Macedonian Business Forum was held in Skopje with the participation of the Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev and his Macedonian counterpart Kocho Angjushev, during which opportunities to create more favourable conditions for the development of bilateral trade and economic relations were discussed and the establishment of direct contacts between the Bulgarian and Macedonian business circles.
During the forum, Deputy Prime Minister Donchev called for quick completion of the Skopje – Sofia railway line and Corridor No. 8. The Deputy Minister of Economy of the Republic of Bulgaria Aleksandar Manolev said that Bulgaria’s exports to Macedonia have increased almost twice in the last 10 years. He added that Bulgarian investments in Macedonia in the banking and insurance sectors, metallurgy, food industry, geological research, IT and telecommunication, services sector, etc. have also grown.
The Bulgarian Chamber of Commerce and Industry was represented at the forum by Plamen Pavlov, Chairman of the Bulgarian – Macedonian Chamber of Commerce and Industry. More than 50 Bulgarian companies operating in the field of mining and quarrying, construction, transport infrastructure and logistics, agriculture and foodstuff, bio foods and tourism, took part in the forum and the subsequent bilateral meetings.
The mayors of Kyustendil, Dupnitsa, and Belitsa also participated in the event.