Zagreb, 25 August 2025 (MIA) - Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska alongside the finance and economy ministers of Bulgaria, Croatia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, and Slovenia, signed Monday in Zagreb a Memorandum of Understanding on cooperation in the development of capital markets.

“The initiative aims to encourage the joint development of the national capital markets of the participating countries through closer cooperation and harmonization of the regulatory frameworks, with the goal of increasing liquidity and creating stronger, more visible, more efficient and more competitive capital markets. By using the full potential of the capital markets and the broader financial sector, the participating countries aim to strengthen their economies and enhance cooperation,” the Finance Ministry said in a press release. 

Toward the end of 2024, the stock exchanges in Bratislava, Bucharest, Budapest, Ljubljana, Skopje, Sofia, Warsaw, and Zagreb signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at strengthening cooperation and integration of capital markets in Central and Southeastern Europe. This initiative is supported by the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), which has been continuously backing the process.

The Finance Ministry noted that the countries participating in the signing of the Memorandum confirmed the existence of a shared political will and vision focused on enhancing the strength, efficiency, and competitiveness of capital markets in Central and Southeastern Europe.

According to the Ministry, this commitment underscores the intention to collaborate with an emphasis on developing capital markets and taking the necessary steps to strengthen the capacity of these markets to support financing, encourage investment, and promote sustainable economic growth.

“The Memorandum is also aligned with the goals of the European Union, particularly its Strategy for a Savings and Investment Union, which aims to channel household savings and private capital into capital markets to stimulate investment, especially in small and medium-sized enterprises, improve cross-border capital flows, and build a deeper, more liquid, and more resilient capital market within the EU,” said the Ministry of Finance.

Photo: Ministry of Finance