Skopje, 15 January 2024 (MIA) - Small enterprises that employ almost 70 percent of the workforce in the country are neither seriously articulated in the domestic economy, nor are vocal enough. If they want to become competitive and play a more important role, they have to continuously upgrade, grow, increase the number of services and make bigger profit. Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) encourage the implementation of innovative solutions and follow trends, but they are alone, and unable to implement larger processes that require adequate investments, staff, and equipment, as they also face a lack of management skills and workforce, heard the launch event of a new Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Center by the Economic Chamber, aimed at supporting MSMEs, on Monday.

"Some MSMEs show good results, but remain invisible. Therefore, we play an important role in creating programs and services useful for MSMEs, offering consultations and expert help for financial support, information on the state of the market and regulations, access to innovations and funds, contact with companies and manufacturers of goods, connectivity, workforce regulation, organizing seminars, workshops and educational events, promoting services," said center president Gabriela Kulebanova.

Economic Chamber executive director Antoni Peshev noted that small enterprises are unprepared and have little access to foreign markets.

"They are mainly focused on the domestic market, hence the importance of initiatives for regional presence," Peshev said.

The Economic Chamber, he added, represented the interest of so-called big companies for too long, the ones dominating in the Macedonian economy.

"The numbers point in this direction. Despite the fact that 99.6 percent of the companies in Macedonia are MSMEs, the other 0.4 percent belongs to the category of large businesses that generate 40 percent of the added value. Throughout the years, we have concluded that focusing only on that segment of the economy is not enough. Primarily, because a huge mass of companies that employ 70 percent of the workforce are not seriously articulated, well represented and loud enough," Peshev stressed. ssh/ik/

Photo: MIA