At the centennial celebration of the Economic Chamber, instead of festivities, we collectively adopted a Declaration emphasizing the need for societal consensus on the future development of the country. We unequivocally stressed that in the next decade, the priority must be business as the primary cohesive factor bridging all differences—be they interethnic, social, conceptual, or strategic—that exist in our country.

Among the numerous challenges we face, I wish to highlight one in particular: the implementation of agreements, which seems to be a chronic issue in the first independent Macedonian state. While no one disputes our capacity to reach agreements—be it in business or among the populace—implementation frequently falters, hindered by various questions and dilemmas.

A recent example offers an opportunity to demonstrate to the public and the international community that, beyond our ability to negotiate, we are capable of implementing agreements. This is evident in the broad consensus to prioritize business and its needs in the coming years. Specifically, funds from the Hungarian loan, which have been institutionally processed through the Macedonian Assembly and deposited into the account of the National Bank of the RNM, must be put to use immediately.

In simple terms, this signal could inspire other companies to embark on investments—the only viable solution to our economic challenges.

P.S. This week, I had the extraordinary honor and pleasure of attending a session of the Exporters Club at the ECNM, which includes the largest and most successful domestic export companies. I must say, this specialized body represents a significant step forward in building the Chamber’s new concept for supporting companies’ export activities.

The president of the Exporters’ Club, Prof. Dr. Darko Lazarov, along with his vice presidents—Anatol Kutrevski from Pekabesko Skopje, Zoran Ilievski from Aktiva Shtip, and Evgenija Gjorgjieska from Laminati Kom Prilep—have invested significant efforts in organizing this concept. As young professionals and representatives of successful export companies, they are a strong guarantee that this initiative will progress in the right direction.

The National Export Council, the Exporters Club, and the Export Institutewill be the three pillars supporting the Chamber’s new concept for assisting all export-related activities of companies. In the coming period, the Chamber will also introduce new forms and tools to benefit companies while strongly supporting activities related to combating corruption and the informal economy.