Skopje, 23 June 2025 (MIA) - Minister of European Affairs Orhan Murtezani held a meeting Monday with representatives of the U.S. Department of Commerce's Commercial Law Development Program (CLDP) and the Embassy of the United States to the Republic of North Macedonia, which highlighted the joint commitment to advancing the legal framework and improving the investment climate in North Macedonia, the Ministry of European Affairs said in a press release.

Interlocutors at the meeting emphasized foreign direct investments as one of the key pillars of the country's economic strategy, given that it is a small and open economy.

“Considering global geopolitical developments and the need for heightened caution, it is necessary to introduce a national mechanism for screening foreign direct investments, in accordance with the criteria and standards outlined by the Berlin Proces, EU regulations, and NATO standards for security and the protection of public order and peace,” the Ministry said.

Minister Murtezani noted the Government is already implementing concrete measures to improve the legal and institutional environment for investment, with a key role being played by a working group composed of experts from relevant institutions in North Macedonia, supported by the CLDP and the U.S. Embassy in the country.

The Minister spoke about the working group which has been actively working on drafting a new law on the screening of foreign direct investments, aimed at ensuring greater transparency, predictability and improved institutional coordination, which would create conditions for a more secure and more attractive business environment for both domestic and foreign investors, the Ministry said.

Murtezani voiced gratitude for the ongoing cooperation and support from the U.S. partners, along with assurances that such initiatives represent the right direction toward establishing a fair, modern and predictable legal framework that will foster economic development and the rule of law.

Photo: Ministry of European Affairs