Wirtschaft Mazedoniens - Економија на Македонија - Economy of Macedonia (Rep. of)

[Zoran]

Macedonia 35th for Best Business Conditions
Friday, 07 October 2011

Macedonia ranked 35th among countries with the best business conditions. The list was devised by Forbes and pertains to 2010. Macedonia ranked one place better than last year.

In comparison with other regional countries, Macedonia ranked the best after Slovenia (25th). Croatia ranked 45th, Bulgaria 47th, Romania 52nd, Montenegro 53rd, Albania 64th, Bosnia and Herzegovina 84th and Serbia 93rd. Macedonia ranked the worst in the field of innovations (100th).

By monetary freedom, it was on 7th place, 84th by property rights, 19th by investor protection and 53rd by corruption criteria.

 

[Zoran]

Economy Expert: Macedonia Very Lucky Not to be in Eurozone
Monday, 10 October 2011

Macedonia should be grateful and count its blessings for not being part of the eurozone and able to keep the competitiveness of its economy, says Martin O. Hutchinson, former advisor of the Macedonian Government, in an interview with Voice of America.

Hutchinson believes that the Greek debt crisis does not mean too much to Europe.

"This is a correction of the mistakes made in 1981 and 2002, clearing up of the disturbance created through over-subsidizing of Greece, allowing its living standard to be fully uncompetitive. The problem now is that stock markets have expanded the mistrust over the payment capability of other European countries. This could have been resolved by bringing back the drachma, but is now a threat to the entire European Union", says Hutchinson.

According to him, the Greek debt and eurozone crises could have an effect on Macedonia.



"In the short-term, export to Greece will be heavily hit, whereas investments there will reduce. The problem in the long-term will be that EU enlargement will slow down, while the accession criteria will become stricter", stresses Hutchinson.

Asked what steps should the Macedonian Government undertake in order to minimize the negative effect on the economy he says efforts should be invested in creating a budget surplus.

"I have not analyzed Macedonia's economy for several years, but the most important thing is to preserve the international funding of Macedonia's needs, especially in the private sector. The government must do everything in creating a budget surplus, since a sharp increase of expenditures is quite realistic", adds Hutchinson.

He believes Macedonia should efficiently integrate its economy with the EU as a whole, which would result in Union membership.

"On the short run, all business contacts with EU member-states, excluding Greece, will enhance development and help the upping of Macedonia's living standards at EU levels", underlines Hutchinson.

An investment banker with more than 25 years’ experience, Hutchinson has worked on both Wall Street and Fleet Street and is a leading expert on the international financial markets. In February 2000, as part of the Financial Services Volunteer Corps, Hutchinson became an advisor to the Macedonian Government.

http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/19329/45/

mazedonisch: TIME.mk - ???????? ?? ?????

 

[Zoran]

Economy Expert: Macedonia Very Lucky Not to be in Eurozone
Monday, 10 October 2011

Macedonia should be grateful and count its blessings for not being part of the eurozone and able to keep the competitiveness of its economy, says Martin O. Hutchinson, former advisor of the Macedonian Government, in an interview with Voice of America.

Hutchinson believes that the Greek debt crisis does not mean too much to Europe.

"This is a correction of the mistakes made in 1981 and 2002, clearing up of the disturbance created through over-subsidizing of Greece, allowing its living standard to be fully uncompetitive. The problem now is that stock markets have expanded the mistrust over the payment capability of other European countries. This could have been resolved by bringing back the drachma, but is now a threat to the entire European Union", says Hutchinson.

According to him, the Greek debt and eurozone crises could have an effect on Macedonia.



"In the short-term, export to Greece will be heavily hit, whereas investments there will reduce. The problem in the long-term will be that EU enlargement will slow down, while the accession criteria will become stricter", stresses Hutchinson.

Asked what steps should the Macedonian Government undertake in order to minimize the negative effect on the economy he says efforts should be invested in creating a budget surplus.

"I have not analyzed Macedonia's economy for several years, but the most important thing is to preserve the international funding of Macedonia's needs, especially in the private sector. The government must do everything in creating a budget surplus, since a sharp increase of expenditures is quite realistic", adds Hutchinson.

He believes Macedonia should efficiently integrate its economy with the EU as a whole, which would result in Union membership.

"On the short run, all business contacts with EU member-states, excluding Greece, will enhance development and help the upping of Macedonia's living standards at EU levels", underlines Hutchinson.

An investment banker with more than 25 years’ experience, Hutchinson has worked on both Wall Street and Fleet Street and is a leading expert on the international financial markets. In February 2000, as part of the Financial Services Volunteer Corps, Hutchinson became an advisor to the Macedonian Government.

MINA Breaking News - Economy Expert: Macedonia Very Lucky Not to be in Eurozone

mazedonisch: TIME.mk - ???????? ?? ?????

 

[Zoran]

Macedonia administers good macroeconomic policy: WB official

Washington, October 12. The World Bank is satisfied from the development of Macedonian economy following the 2009 global recession, projecting a 3-4 percent GDP growth, says Jane Armitage, World Bank Regional Coordinator for Southeast Europe.

Armitage stresses in an interview with Voice of America in Macedonian Language the country's low indebtedness in the public sector as a factor for sound macroeconomic policy.

"Macedonia has a much lower indebtedness in the public sector, ranging between 25 and 26 percent. There are countries with 45, event 60 percent indebtedness in the region. Macedonia is more resistant to new crises due to the long-standing sound macroeconomic policy. Its fiscal deficit of about 2.5 percent is significantly lower compared to neighboring countries. This is a very good position in a time when the situation can become more difficult", assesses Armitage.

She recommends continuation of such macroeconomic policy, increased competitiveness through enhancement of labor skills, education reforms, improvement of business climate and more investments in infrastructure.

"It is not enough to have cheap workforce. Macedonia should not be competitive because it has cheap workforce. This means lower living standard. Highly-trained staff is required, which will be competitive and enable export", says Armitage.

The World Bank official adds that the Greek crisis could have serious effects on Macedonia, Albania and other Balkan states.

"Greece is an important trading partner for Macedonia. If growth drops there, this is bad news for Macedonian export. Maybe it will be complemented with export in other countries, but most of it goes through the Thessaloniki port, which could not operate because of strikes and protests. If general uncertainty in Greece expands in neighboring countries, this will have a reflection on their economic growth, including Macedonia", says Armitage.

However, the World Bank is not concerned for the main Greek banks in Macedonia for now, since they show proper liquidity and capital.

BSANNA News - BSANNA NEWS

 

[Zoran]

Johnson Controls: Werk Bau bei Stip beginnt
Das US Unternehmen "Johnson Controls" hat mit dem Bau seines zweiten Werkes bei Stip in Mazedonien begonnen. Das Werk wird in der Technischen-Industrie Zone errichtet und mit einem Investitionsvolumen von 20 Mio. Euro.
"Johnson Controls" plant in Stip die Herstellung von Automobilteilen und wird die Region um 1.400 Arbeitsplätze bereichern. Das Werk soll nächstes Jahr in betrieb genommen werden.


Mazedonisch: http://www.time.mk/cluster/8004ec425a/pocnuva-izgradbata-na-dzonson-kontrols-kaj-stip.html

 

[Zoran]

Johnson Controls: Werk Bau bei Stip beginnt
Das US Unternehmen "Johnson Controls" hat mit dem Bau seines zweiten Werkes bei Stip in Mazedonien begonnen. Das Werk wird in der Technischen-Industrie Zone errichtet und mit einem Investitionsvolumen von 20 Mio. Euro.
"Johnson Controls" plant in Stip die Herstellung von Automobilteilen und wird die Region um 1.400 Arbeitsplätze bereichern. Das Werk soll nächstes Jahr in betrieb genommen werden.


Mazedonisch: ??????? ?????????? ?a ??????? ????????? ??? ????


Johnson Controls starts construction of new plant in Stip
Stip, 17 October 2011 (MIA) - US auto interiors manufacturer Johnson Controls launched Monday construction works for a new plant in the Stip-based technological and industrial development zone. The ground-breaking ceremony for the plant, where car seat covers will be manufactured, was attended by PM Nikola Gruevski, Johnson Controls' Vladimir Teplik, US Ambassador Paul Wohlers and Vice PM Vladimir Pesevski.

Premier Gruevski said that the investment by the US automotive giant was in amount of nearly $20 million and was expected to open 1,400 jobs.

"For the first time in Macedonia's recent history, we are attending a ground-breaking ceremony of the second largest greenfield investment by the same foreign investor - Johnson Controls. The pleasure is even greater, taking into consideration the global economy and the radical economic turmoil in our southern neighbour (Greece), that Macedonia is the host of a series of foreign investments. In the last couple of months, even six large project were launched that on the long run are expected to open thousands of new jobs in the country. These include Italy's Teknohose, the US company Kemet Electronics, Germany's Kromberg and Schubert obtained an permission for construction in Bitola, Russia's Protek Group has announced its investments in Bunardzik development zone, Indian company Samvardhana Motherson started building a plant in Bunardzik, Steel Con (Macedonian-Dutch investment) launched its activities in Kumanovo, Croatian Agrocor opened its distribution center. Today, we are laying a cornerstone of the second plant to be built by the US giant Johnson Controls," Gruevski said.

The PM stated that when a company had decided to invest in Macedonia for the second time, it meant it was satisfied with the first investment and with all of the factors necessary for good business.

Speaking at the ceremony, Vladimir Teplik said the new plant would be completed by September 2012.

 

[Zoran]

Mak Trade exchange with CEFTA states on the rise
Monday, 17 October 2011

Croatia's EU accession will not affect much the Macedonian agriculture-food sector, concluded representatives of the Central European Free Trade Agreement (CEFTA) member-states at a meeting held in Sarajevo, Bosnia&Herzegovina.

"B&H and Serbia will suffer the biggest damages from Croatia's EU membership. The Macedonian agriculture-food sector could only have problems with export of meat and meat processings", said Saso Despotovski from the working group for agriculture and food industry within the Economic Chamber of Macedonia at Monday's press conference.

He stressed that Macedonia's exchange of agriculture-food products with CEFTA member-states in 2011 amounted to US$205 million, of which US$120 million in export, mostly vegetables, followed by confectionery products and cigarettes.

Serbia is the largest trading partner in the trade exchange of agriculture-food products, with a US$55,3 million export and US$53 million import.

"The biggest problems in the free flow of agriculture-food products in CEFTA member-states are the non-tariff barriers and non-recognition of certificates", said Despotovski.

Macedonia registered US$634,6 million in total trade exchange with CEFTA member-states in 2010, whereas the amount has risen to US$811,8 million in the first nine months of 2011.

 

[Zoran]

Bilder: http://macedoniaonline.eu/content/view/19390/1/

Macedonia, Qatar sign deals on investment, tourism
October 17, 2011
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SKOPJE, Macedonia—Macedonian authorities say Qatar and Macedonia have agreed to mutually protect and promote investments, as well as to cooperate on tourism.

The office of Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov has not made public any details on the treaties signed Monday during a visit to Macedonia by Qatar's emir, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani.

Macedonia and Qatar also inked agreements on culture, education and health following talks between Al Thani and Ivanov.

The Qatari leader, who is accompanied by a 100-member business delegation, will meet Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski on Tuesday.

Macedonia, Qatar sign deals on investment, tourism - Boston.com

Qatar and Macedonia cement ties with 7 pacts

HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and Macedonian President Gjorge Ivanov review a guard of honour during a welcoming ceremony at the Alexander the Great Airport near Skopje, yesterday QNA/Skopje

Qatar and Macedonia signed a raft of agreements and a memorandum of understanding following a round of official talks chaired by HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani and the President of Macedonia Dr Gjorge Ivanov.
The two sides discussed ways to further develop bilateral relations in various sectors and reviewed the latest regional and international developments.
The talks were attended by HE the Deputy Premier and Chairman of the Emiri Diwan, Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, and several members of the official delegation accompanying the Emir.
After the talks, the Emir and the Macedonian President held a bilateral meeting which was attended by HE al-Attiyah .
The Emir and the Macedonian President then witnessed the signing of a set of agreements and memorandum of understanding between the two countries.
The two sides signed an agreement for co-operation in the cultural field, another on organising the use of Macedonian labourers in Qatar and a third one on encouragement and protection of mutual investments.
A memorandum of understanding in the field of education was also signed.

HE the Deputy Premier and Chairman of the Emiri Diwan, Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah, and a Macedonian official signing an agreement in Skopje yesterday

The two sides signed three more agreements – one on air services, another on setting up a joint business council between the Qatar Chamber of Commerce and Industry (QCCI) and Macedonia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (MCCI) and a third on exchange of news between Qatar News Agency and the Macedonian Information Agency.
The Emir and his accompanying delegation flew into Skopje earlier yesterday on a two-day state visit to Macedonia on the first leg of a tour which also includes Albania, Ukraine and Poland.
The Emir and the accompanying delegation were welcomed at Skopje Alexandar the Great Airport by Macedonian President, Macedonian ministers and senior officials, and Qatar’s Ambassador to Macedonia Sultan bin Saad al-Mreikhei and Macendonian Ambassador to Qatar Fuad Hasanovic.
A red carpet welcome was accorded to the Emir.

Top Macedonian honour for Emir
The President of Macedonia Dr Gjorge Ivanov conferred on HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani, the 8th of September Medal, the highest medal in the republic, in appreciation of his efforts to enhance bilateral relations.
The medal conferring ceremony was held at the Presidential Palace in the Macedonian capital, Skopje, yesterday. In an address on the occasion, President Dr. Ivanov expressed pleasure at meeting the Emir saying, “We highly appreciate the efforts the State of Qatar has been exerting under your wise leadership and your far-sighted vision in areas of peace, co-operation, tolerance, and dialogue in the world”.
Dr. Ivanov further said, “We thank you for your support to the conference on alliance of civilizations held in Macedonia in 2003 ... We continue what has been started there and support peace in the world”.
The ceremony was attended by HE the Deputy Premier and Chief of the Emiri Diwan Abdullah bin Hamad al-Attiyah and the members of the delegation accompanying the Emir.

Gulf Times ? Qatar?s top-selling English daily newspaper - Qatar

 

[Černozemski]

 

[Zoran]

NEUER TERMINAL ZUM 10-JÄHRIGEN JUBILÄUM
Der am vergangenen Donnerstag eröffnete Speditionsterminal der Schenker DOOEL in Skopje ist die modernste Logistikanlage in Mazedonien und verfügt über eine optimale Verkehrsanbindung.


Der neue Terminal ist für uns ein großer Schritt vorwärts, denn unsere Mitarbeiter erbringen ihre Dienstleistung jetzt in einem modernen Arbeitsumfeld", betonte Zoran Lazoroski, Geschäftsführer der Schenker DOOEL Mazedonien, anlässlich der Eröffnung der neuen Logistik-Immobilie in Skopje. Der Manager weiß, wovon er spricht, denn es ist eine Aufbruchstimmung spürbar, im zwanzigsten Jahr der Unabhängigkeit des Staates Mazedonien. Betrug das Bruttoinlandsprodukt 2006 noch 5,23 Mrd., € so liegt man heute bereits bei gut sieben Mrd.. Ausländische Investoren -darunter rund sechzig österreichische Betriebe -brachten im vergangenen Jahr 221,4 Mrd. € ins Land. "Nur die Arbeitslosigkeit liegt immer noch bei mehr als 30 Prozent", berichtet Anita Bavdaz, Handelsdelegierter der Wirtschaftskammer Österreich in Skopje. Infrastrukturell finanziert die EU im Rahmen des IPA-Programms (2007 - 2013) momentan Projekte für den Korridor 10, der von Nord-Serbien bis zur griechischen Südgrenze reicht. Der Ausbau des Korridors 8 (Durres - Tirana -Skopje -Bulgarien) soll von mazedonischer Seite über Konzessionsvergaben erfolgen.

DB Schenker ist mit dem neuen Terminal heute schon gerüstet: Auf mehreren Etagen des insgesamt 8200 Quadratmeter Nutzfläche umfassenden, ausgesprochen "mitarbeiterfreundlich" anmutenden Bauwerks, befinden sich Büros, das Lager umfasst 2500 Quadratmeter. Der größte Teil (1600 Quadratmeter) davon ist jedoch als Zollfreilager für den Cross-Docking-Umschlag ausgerichtet. Etwa 700 Palettenstellplätze stehen für Einlagerkunden zur Verfügung, denn in Mazedonien hat Kontraktlogistik (Outsourcing) noch viel Potenzial.

VON BEGINN AN DABEI

"Das Team belohnt sich selbst für seinen bisherigen Erfolg", so Lazoroski, der auf zehn Jahre engagierte Arbeit zurückblicken kann. Im Jahr 2001 wurde die zum Aktionsradius der österreichischen Schenker &Co AG (Regional Head Office South East Europe) gehörende mazedonische Landesgesellschaft Schenker DOOEL gegründet. Sie bietet sämtliche speditionstypischen Dienstleistungen (inkl. Zollabwicklung) und fungiert in Mazedonien vor allem als Importdrehscheibe mit nationaler Verteilung der Sendungen. Hauptimportländer sind Deutschland, Italien, Griechenland und Österreich. Ein wichtiger Knotenpunkt für den Landverkehr ist dabei neben Wien, Köln, Mailand, Sofia und Ljubljana der Euro-Hub Salzburg. Bei der Luftfracht, die Schenker teilweise über ein Büro am neuen "Alexander der Große-Flughafen" abwickelt, kommt das Hauptgeschäft aus Asien. Gleiches gilt für die Seefracht, die über den albanischen Hafen Durres geleitet wird: "Der Großteil der importierten Waren kommt aus China, gefolgt von Indien und Südkorea", erklärt Lazoroski. Viele Sendungen werden auch über den Flughafen Wien und die DB Schenker-Geschäftsstelle Wien-Albern gezogen. Von dort aus transportieren fahrplänmäßig getaktete Lkw-Verkehre die Waren zur Niederlassung in Skopje. Diese Alternative ist gerade für größere Luftfracht-Importe wichtig, zumal der Flughafen Skopje derzeit hauptsächlich von kleineren Frachtflugzeugen angeflogen wird.

POWERRAILER

Abgerundet wird das Leistungsspektrum durch die Integration von Schenker DOO-EL in das Ganzzugprodukt für Südosteuropa, "PowerRailer", über das Importverkehre aus Westeuropa nach Mazedonien laufen. "Nicht nur Importe werden über die Eisenbahn abgewickelt", wendet der Landesgeschäftsführer ein, "auch der Export wird langsam, aber sicher, zur wichtigen Einnahmequelle." Derzeit ist sein Team beispielsweise für den Ausrüstungs-Rücktransport der deutschen NATO-Truppen aus dem Kosovo zuständig. In Kürze wird Schenker DOOEL auch ein Frachtenbahnhof zur Verfügung stehen, der nur einen Kilometer vom Terminal entfernt ist.

ZIEL: MARKTFÜHRER

Derzeit beschäftigt DB Schenker in Mazedonien 35 Mitarbeiter, die in den nächsten ein bis zwei Jahren auf 50 aufgestockt werden sollen. Das ist eine große Herausforderung für Lazoroski, denn objektiv betrachtet ist die Wirtschaftslage in Mazedonien immer noch schwierig und ungleichgewichtig auf Import ausgerichtet. Aber schließlich will man in der Region, in die andere Logistik-Dienstleister, wie zum Beispiel DHL, mittlerweile schon für sich erschließen, Marktführer bleiben. Schenker DOOEL betreibt seit 2007 auch ein Verkaufsbüro im Kosovo.

NEUER TERMINAL ZUM 10-JÄHRIGEN JUBILÄUM

British-Macedonian investment forum in London
Skopje, 19 October 2011 (MIA) - Macedonian Government delegation takes part Wednesday at the British-Macedonian investment forum, held in London-based "Painters Hall".

The delegation includes Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, Vice Premier Vladimir Pesevski, Economy Minister Valon Saraqini, Ministers for Foreign Investments Vele Samak and Bill Pavleski, as well as director of Agency for Foreign Investments and Export Promotion Visar Fida.

Opportunities for investing in Macedonia will be presented before British businessmen, with focus on projects in the fields of infrastructure, energy, mineral raw materials, and ICT.

http://www.mia.com.mk/default.aspx?vId=87742382&lId=2