14.06.2021 Ankara
The Turkey-North Macedonia Chamber of Commerce and Industry Forum was established between the Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB) and the Chamber of Economy of North Macedonia (MCHAMBER). After an online meeting with TOBB President M. Rifat Hisarcıklıoğlu and the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia President Branko Azeski, an agreement was signed to establish the Turkey-Macedonia Chamber of Commerce and Industry Forum.
Hisarcıklıoğlu said
that there was 7% growth in the first quarter of 2021 and that the economy is
expected to grow by around 5-6% throughout this year.
Reminding that exports
increased by 38 percent to $85 billion in the first 5 months, Hisarcıklıoğlu
stressed that they estimate it would exceed $200 billion in exports for the
whole year.
Hisarcıklıoğlu stated
that Turkey is among the top 15 countries in the world in vaccination and that
the tourism sector is included in the priority vaccination group. “As of June,
we have moved to partial normalization. We're hoping for more relief in July.
Then we anticipate that there will be new positive developments in tourism.”
Stressing that
Macedonia is very important for Turkey, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “The free trade
agreement, which has been in force since 2000, has mutually positively affected
our trade in industrial products. In addition, basic agreements such as Double
Taxation Prevention and Mutual Promotion and Protection of Investments
agreements and International Road Transport have been completed. Their presence
creates a suitable infrastructure for the development of our bilateral trade
and economic relations. We support the expansion of the Free Trade Agreement to
include agricultural products and the service sector. Success in this area will
double our bilateral trade volume (currently $543 million) in a short time.
Noting that investments
by Turkish companies in Northern Macedonia have increased rapidly in the last
10 years, Hisarcıklıoğlu said, “Currently, about 100 investor firms are
operating. There is an investment of 1.2 billion Euros. Turkish companies
employ 5,000 people in Macedonia. Increasing our investments will also affect
our bilateral trade. Our contractors undertook 32 projects worth $1.1 billion.
We're proud of them. With the Turkey-Macedonia Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Forum we will establish, we will increase the volume of our bilateral relations
much higher.”
Azeski, head of the
Economic Chamber of Northern Macedonia, briefed on the effects of the pandemic
in Northern Macedonia, adding that Turkish investments in Macedonia have
continued with great success. Azeski said he believes Turkish tourists will
come to Northern Macedonia more as the pandemic improves. Azeski said they
attach importance to regional co-operation and stressed that the Turkey-Macedonia
Chamber of Commerce and Industry Forum established between TOBB and MCHAMBER
will contribute to bilateral relations.