Macedonian - Russian Business Forum

Macedonia’s Economic Chamber and the Macedonian-Russian Chamber of Commerce organise Monday a Macedonian-Russian business forum in an effort  bilateral business contacts to be established with Russian companies from several sectors including agriculture, trade, import of goods, food industry, etc.

Businessmen from the Russian region of Tambov are paying a visit to Macedonia to establish business contacts with Macedonian companies.

The Tambov region is a federal subject in Russia, located some 460 kilometers south of the capital. Its administrative center is the city of Tambov. 1,091,994 inhabitants live there according to the 2010 Census.

Stavreski: Successful visit to Russia – Macedonia part of South Stream

Two projects will wrap up construction of gasification network in Macedonia and will enable country to be part of the most significant international gas corridor, Deputy PM and Finance Minister Zoran Stavreski said after the visit to Russia, assessing it as very successful.

- As a result of the latest visit of PM Nikola Gruevski and meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin we have already received an offer by the Russian side, i.e. draft agreement for Macedonia’s joining to ‘South Stream’ which is most important corridor that supplies entire Europe with gas and provides energy stability and security to Macedonia for all future generations. The second project, for which we have already accomplished concrete progress, i.e. we have signed memorandum for cooperation with Stroytransgaz company, which will participate in construction of a national gas pipeline network, we have already firm time frame in which all activities previously prepared will be conducted, Stavreski said.

The projects will provide improvement of competitiveness of Macedonian economy, stable gas supply to Macedonian households and companies thus helping them to get safe energy resource, which will be ecological and cheaper. At the same time it is a step forward in construction of a national gas pipeline network.

- I believe that in the next months we will make additional efforts and to wrap up all activities and to begin the construction of national gas pipeline system by year’s end. Depending on details, it is yet to be determined when the Macedonian leg will be built, but it is important that Macedonia will be part of ‘South Stream,’ Stavreski said.

Russian Co. to invest 6m Euros in Eastern Macedonia

Russian company will invest EUR 6 million for the construction of a facility for processing of meat industry waste in Macedonia's east, said Vice Premier and Finance Minister Zoran Stavreski after the completion of the country's economic presentation in Russia.

"As a result of the contacts we had here with the investor, as well as previous activities by the Macedonian promoter in Moscow, we can say with high degree of certainty that a fresh Russian investment is pending in Macedonia", said Stavreski.

The plant will process meat industry waste, which is to be used for medical and other purposes following the bio-technological process.

 According to Stavreski, the investor is set to come to Macedonia by the end of April and register a firm.

"Besides the importance of the investment, the most significant thing is the opening of new jobs, thus mitigating the unemployment problem in Macedonia's east", underlined the FinMin.

Russian Investors interested in Mak Agriculture Centers

Russian investors from the region of Rostov are interested in constructing purchasing centers for agricultural products in Macedonia, for Macedonian fruit and vegetables and other agricultural produces.

This was stated by Vice PM and Minister of Finance Zoran Stavreski, who presented on Monday Macedonia's investment opportunities before entrepreneurs in the region of Rostov.

"This is our first day in the Rostov region in Russia. We are not here by chance, because we believe that the Moscow region has been explored significantly. It was decided a presentation of Macedonia's investment opportunities to be made inside Russia. The first day of our Russia visit we are in the Rostov region, one of the most developed regions in the Russian Federation. It was interesting to present what Macedonia is offering to Russian businessmen with respect to foreign investments regarding projects related to energy, real estates, agriculture and so on," Minister Stavreski stated after the presentation at the Rostov Region Chamber of Trade, made up of 650 enterprises.

He noted most businessmen from the region showed interest in boosting cooperation in connection to purchasing centers for agricultural produces. Negotiations are expected to continue.

"I think that Macedonia's offer of fruit, vegetables and other agricultural products is quite interesting. The region is a big market and Macedonia has the opportunity to increase its export of agricultural products. The favourable results yielded in the past couple of years could be improved with a direct foreign investment by opening a purchasing center by Russian investors in Macedonia," stated Stavreski.

Russia is a new interesting market for Macedonian companies, he added.

The government delegation, which also includes Minister for Foreign Investments Bill Pavleski and director of the Directorate for Technological and Industrial Zones (TIRZ), Viktor Miz, are set to visit the region of Krasnodar and Soci.

Minister Bill Pavleski presented projects in the field of agriculture, tourism and construction before interested investors, whereas Mizo spoke about projects related to energy, mineral resources and conditions offered in the technological and industrial zones,

The Rostov region is in southwestern Russia and has a population of 4.3 million inhabitants. It is one of the most developed and richest federal subjects in Russia.

The Republic of Macedonia and the Russian Federation are fostering an intensive economic cooperation. Trade exchange is a dominant form of cooperation standing at over US$700 million in 2011. Most importantly, Macedonian export to Russia marks a record-breaking increase of 140%, while Russia's export to Macedonia is nearly 28.7%.

The two countries in order to advance the overall trade relations signed in 1993 an agreement on trade and economic cooperation between the governments of Macedonia and Russia.

Russian investments in Macedonia last year stand at 5.19 million euros. Given the economic and investing potential of Macedonia, the scope of foreign direct investments is considered small. It is expected Russia to launch an investment cycle in Macedonia, especially in the energy sector.

Russian pharmaceutical holding "Protek Group" has started constructing a plant in Skopje and is planned to be completed in 2015. "Lukoil" oil company is already expanding its businesses across Macedonia.

Macedonia cancels visas for Russians

Macedonian Foreign Ministry has announced cancellation of short-stay visas for citizens of Russia until March 15, 2013. This was announced Tuesday by Russia’s Ambassador to Macedonia, Oleg Scherbakov.

A visa to Macedonia will not be required for a visit of up to 90 days from the date of first crossing the border, for a period of six months.

This will enable more Russians to travel to Macedonia without going through an application and visa process.