21st February 2025, Skopje – Minister of Finance, Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska, continued with the series of meetings with the business community. Today, she had a meeting with the President of the Macedonian Chambers of Commerce, Trajan Angeloski, and its management, at which the need for support of domestic small and medium-size enterprises’ future development was being discussed.
“The Government, as already evident, provided EUR 250 million under favourable terms and conditions, extended by the Hungarian Export Import Bank, all to the aim of supporting domestic companies, particularly amidst the existing precariousness in global terms. With that aim in mind, we have already defined the terms and conditions and the funds are already made available to the companies. They are a substantial incentive for subsequent investments of the SMEs, with them being the driving force of our economy, especially taking into account the more than favourable conditions, as agreed with the Government, under which the banks are making them available, as opposed to the ones offered by the commercial banks themselves. In addition to the low interest rate, 15-year repayment period and three-year grace period play a significant role in motivating the SMEs, in particular, to involve themselves with more serious investment projects”, the Minister said.
She also added that the funds are already made available, stressing out the importance of companies preparing projects and applying for the support, whereby contributing to their own development and boosting the economic activity as a whole.
“The Macedonian Chambers of Commerce (MCC) considers the Hungarian Loan Facility as one of the most favourable loans extended, providing significant support to the businesses for a new sound investment cycle.
At the meeting with the Minister of Finance, it was agreed upon that the business sector is to prepare a list of custom tariff rates to be aligned with European standards. We asked for streamlining the tax procedures, whereas the importance of custom tariff rates alignment issue was clearly recognized”, MCC President, Trajan Angeloski, informed at the joint press conference.
The Macedonian Chambers of Commerce reiterated its standpoint of the groundlessness of the solidarity tax introduction, commending the Government’s proactiveness regarding the respective issue.
The joint conclusion from the meeting was that meetings at which information on Government’s measures are shared, are crucial as they provide guidelines for the future operations and offer an opportunity to discuss certain issues that pose obstacles to companies’ operations.
