Ohrid, 19th October 2012 (MIA) – Macedonia 2025 and SEAF will establish new capital investment fund, focused on growth of Macedonian enterprises.
Establishment of SEAF Macedonia I Fund was announced on Friday by the organization of the Global Investment Forum, taking place in Ohrid.
In addition to investing, the members of Macedonia 2025 – a group of successful entrepreneurs and CEOs of international companies with Macedonian origin and living in the United States, Canada, Europe and Australia – will offer to Macedonian entrepreneurs mentorship and access to markets.
– Fund is first of its kind where the Diaspora is a catalyst and leading investor putting an emphasis on the fatherland and the region. It is our great pleasure to cooperate with SEAF in an attempt to create successful fund and to pave the way for new funds. Our board of directors is thrilled with the idea of helping SEAF in the development of business leaders and successful businesses in Macedonia, and allowing access to our global network of business connections, Mike Zafirovski – Chairman of the Macedonia 2025 Board of Directors stated, pointing out that there is no any political connection between Macedonia 2025 and the political parties.
– Our goal is to spread as a network and to help our homeland. We expect nothing in return, only pride and we hope Macedonia will become a more prosperous country, Zafirovski said.
According to Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Zoran Stavreski, so far, the Diaspora has not been present with investments, however, as he said, it provided logistics to the Government’s efforts in organizing investment forums, establishing contacts with other companies willing to invest, for instance the plant of “Kemet Electronics”, which was inaugurated yesterday by Mike Zafirovski.
– So far, there has been similar support, however, the announced fund will enable for the financial resources to be invested in new companies starting their business, Stavreski said.
He assessed the summit as an exceptional chance for bringing closer the positions and viewpoints on investing in Macedonia. He believes it enables for all businessmen to be informed about the investment potentials in Macedonia. He said that the contentment from the overall macroeconomic performance and the economic policies of the Government, being expressed during the first panel was a good signal.
– All people, present today, having heard about the opportunities Macedonia offers, including the low taxes, the incentives in the free economic zones, will be given the possibility, through direct discussion, to get informed where they can successfully employ their funds, launch investments, open factories and create jobs, being the most important for our country, Stavreski said.
At the summit’s opening ceremony, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, outlining the Government’s activities in search of foreign investments and those that had been already realized, said that Macedonia was already considered as an attractive investment destination, seen by international companies as an important gate towards Europe.
– We will continue with our efforts to attract foreign investors and your help, support and idea will be more than welcome, Gruevski said adding that the Government would resume maintaining sound economic policies and implementing further reforms, meaning low taxes and contributions and structural reforms aimed at improving the business climate.
SEAF establishes the fund as a result of its first successful fund – SEAF Macedonia, which was the first Macedonian venture fund that supported companies such as Tinex, On.Net, Krug (Dnevnik) and Login. SEAF Executive Chairman and Co-Founder Hubertus van der Vaart stated: SEAF believes that the Macedonian entrepreneurs are one of the best in the world. We are delighted at the idea of supporting a new group of entrepreneurs together with Macedonia 2025 and promoting economic growth and development in one of the most beautiful countries in the world.
In addition, conclusions will be drawn at the forum, containing recommendations and expectations from top business leaders in Macedonia and the Diaspora, focusing on supporting, encouraging and improving investment efforts in Macedonia.
The summit, which brings together 350 participants, is held under the motto: Discovering Opportunities: Leveraging Business Diaspora to promote trade, investments and economic growth.
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