He spoke during a cordial meeting where he received a group of Turkish businessmen from the Aegean city of Manisa, who were in Macedonia on a business trip organized by the Manisa Organized Industrial Zone (MOSB) to search for investment opportunities.
He said a business forum to bring the businessmen of both nations together in the coming days in İstanbul would not only boost relations but also help the Turkish business world learn about the facilities Macedonia is providing to foreign investors.
Ivanov stated that all conditions to strengthen and deepen commercial relations between Macedonia and Turkey have been met but still the actual level of relations is far below potential. Economic relations are lagging behind the developments in political relations, he said, adding that “I believe that both sides have to deal with this problem in the upcoming period.”
Turkish businessmen later paid a visit to Macedonian Minister Without Portfolio Hadi Neziri, who defined Macedonia as Turkey’s open door to Europe. Neziri said Macedonia wanted to make use of Turkey’s experiences, and investment conditions were very convenient for businessmen who wanted to invest in Macedonia. “You should not see Macedonia as only a market with 2 million people. Macedonia is the heart of the Balkans, and there is an opportunity to address the entire Balkans from here,” Neziri also said.