Skopje, 23 May 2023 (MIA) – Minister of Economy Kreshnik Bekteshi announced a new Belgian investment in North Macedonia on Tuesday. Belgian company M.S.I.E. is set to invest over EUR 5 million and create 150 jobs in the first stage of its investment. 

According to Bekteshi, the investment agreement is expected to be signed in around one month from now.

The company is assessing the municipalities of Petrovec and Ilinden as possible options for the construction of a production capacity for the production of solar film.

The new investment, said Bekteshi, will likely be implemented in accordance with the Law on Financial Support for Investments.

“As a Government we will continue these visits in order to present the investment opportunities we offer as a country. The situation with the energy crisis has already been stabilized and in the coming period the main focus will be attracting more foreign investments, and investments that will offer more jobs for the citizens and introduce new technologies and skills,” said Bekteshi.

According to the head of the Directorate for Technological Industrial Development Zones, Jovan Despotovski, at both business forums in Brussels and Antwerp, Belgian companies showed interest in the availability of highly qualified workforce, the harmonization of the domestic legislation with the EU Acquis and the political stability in the region.

“I expect that we will have several companies with which we will continue talks in the next few months after the meetings in Belgium,” said Despotovski.

With Monday’s investment by Belgian company ABEE, the total volume of investments within the zones stands at around EUR 300 million, with 5.000 expected jobs.

“If 2022 was a record year in terms of investment volume, and we reached around EUR 450 million, I think that this year, since we’ve already reached EUR 300 million so far, we are on a good path to exceed this figure and go even higher,” said Despotovski.

On Monday, in the Belgian city of Ninove, an investment agreement was signed with Belgian company ABEE, which is planning to invest EUR 40 million in TIDZ Kichevo and create over 600 jobs.

Photo: MIA