Greece still among the biggest investors in FYROM

in FYROM news / by Admin / on November 29, 2008 at 5:05 am /

Investment prospects in fYRoM touted

11/29/2008

Greece is amongst the biggest foreign investors in the neighbouring former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (FYRoM), according to figures presented during an event on investment opportunities in the country, hosted on Thursday by the Federation of Northern Greece Industries in Thessaloniki.

According to official statistics, 80 percent of companies belonging to Greek interests active in fYRoM’s textiles sector (totaling 58 companies) are found in the southern part of the country, primarily in the vicinity of Bitola and Gevgelija, and employ roughly 6,000 people.

Food and beverages is another sector with an increased Greek business presence. Specifically, a total of 22 companies employ 2,500 people, with roughly half operating in the city of Skopje or its outskirts.

The economic and trade secretary at the Greek Liaison Office in Skopje, Eleni Karayanni, noted that the distribution of Greek investments in the neighbouring country shows that 28 percent involves the banking sector; 25 percent in energy; 17 percent in telecoms; 15 percent in industrial production; 10 percent in the food and beverages sector, while 5 percent is in other sectors.

Most opportunities for Greek investments are found in the sectors of energy, transportation and IT technology, according to speakers at the event, which was attended by entrepreneurs from both countries.

Caption: A worker cuts iron parts for recycling in the old iron reprocessing plant at Makstil, one of the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia’s (FYRoM) biggest metal processing factories, located in Skopje, 20 October 2008. The Makstil plant has so far not been adversely affected due to the fact that the company produces final products already ordered by its customers.

ANA-MPA/EPA/GEORGI LICOVSKI

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