Macedonian PM experts new investments from Turkish businessmen

Turkey-Macedonia Trade Investment Forum was organized by the Confederation of Businessmen and Industrialists of Turkey (TUSKON) in Bursa yesterday. Speaking at the forum, Macedonian Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said that Macedonia offered incredible investment opportunities to Turkish businessmen. "We apply tax rates of 2 percent. Besides, we do not collect income taxes, but maintain social security taxes on considerably low levels. As you know, a tax bracket work is carried out each year in Macedonia, where domestic and active foreign companies benefit from this. The income tax is currently on the level of zero in Macedonia. An investor is entitled to establish a company, after preparing necessary documents in only four hours. Furthermore, anybody can purchase land in Macedonia for one euro per square meter," said Gruevski, adding that Macedonia has the lowest level of foreign debt in Europe and that Turkish businessmen are always welcome there. Speaking in his part, TUSKON Chairman Rizanur Meral described the Turkish businessmen as a gate opening to Europe and reiterated that they have attended business forums in five Anatolian cities and visited other five cities in Turkey. Furthermore, Economy Minister Zafer Caglayan said, "My task is to increase export and keep imports on a lower level. But when it comes to Macedonia, we avoid this in order to support them. We aim to increase our bilateral trade volume currently totaling approximately $400 million to $1 billion."