Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Zoran Stavreski believes that inclusion of companies “Johnson Metti” and “Johnson Controls” in the performance of industrial production is a positive indicator for Macedonian economy and that it will have multiple positive effects on Macedonian industry, production and export in the period to come.
 
– Inclusion of “Johnson Metti” and “Johnson Controls” in when presenting the structure of production companies in Macedonia is one of the indicators that Macedonian industry is not actually in negative, but rather in a positive zone for a longer period of time. If one analyses data from the end of last year such revised basis, including these enterprises actually operating in the country, shows positive trends. According to “Johnson Metti” information, February experienced record level of production and the company announces turnover of EUR 300 million for this year, which is excellent measure to contribute to realizing two objectives.
 
First, fast shift to restructuring the Macedonian economy, a process we have been discussing many years now as for how the economy should be restructured. This is the very indicator on how restructuring is carried out as regards both production and export. If one analyzes the structure of import and export this year, oil and cars are not any more main products on the import side, but these are rather the platinum and the alloys similar to platinum, used in the production of catalysts, while on the export side, catalysts produced by these companies above all by Johnson Metti are main export product in the first month of the year, Stavreski said answering to journalists’ questions at today’s press conference held in the Government’s building.
He added that Macedonia thus changes the structure as regards products including higher value added, higher total value which is a good sign for both the Macedonian economy and the export.
 
– I believe that, during the year, there will be even more additional indicators that inclusion of companies, which came in Macedonia as investors, have multiple positive effects on Macedonian industry, production and export, Stavreski said.
 
Regarding the deepening of trade deficit, Minister pointed out that if the trade deficit increase is analyzed together with the other indicators for industrial production increase, in particular processing industry, it proves to be a good indicator. Stavreski explains that there is increased import resulting from increased production and on the long run, this is the manner how the economy will practically be transformed. It is a good sign when such import is not import of consumption goods, but rather of products used by companies in Macedonia so as to be processed and exported, Minister said. He expressed his assurance that goods imported in the first month will be processed and exported in the next months yielding additional value added and thus Macedonian economy will have benefit, i.e. foreign currency inflows.
 
As for whether the Government will reduce the excises on oil derivatives following the example of Croatia, Stavreski said that each government undertakes measures depending on its own estimates and the needs of the country.
 
– We have undertaken some other measures as you are aware as regards intervention on the market through commodity reserves with 40,000 tones of wheat. Croatia did not do this, so direct comparison cannot be made, since what is important is to be engaged and resolve the problems, where they are the most obvious. We believed that the most important intervention was as regards the bread since it is essential food product and that is why we have undertaken such strong measure, intervening with a quantity higher than the one requested by the millers so as to reduce the bread price. We believe our intervention is not aimed only at keeping bread price but also at reducing it which is what I recommend to bread producers, Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Zoran Stavreski said. (MIA)
