NATO’s accession makes the business sector optimistic
North Macedonia’s accession in the NATO has made the business sector more optimistic. The government is expecting foreign investments to grow, more jobs to be created and more positive trends for the business sector.
However, the opposition has accused the government of making the country poorer, claiming that foreign investors are leaving.
However, the business community is reserved in its statements. Mile Boskov of the Confederation of Entrepreneurs says that the business sector is not seeing anything concrete. According to him, all there’s ever been so far are ideas on how to improve the business climate.
“I think that our companies which have collaborated with foreign companies are thinking of expanding this collaboration once the country becomes a NATO member. Of course, there will be more benefits for companies and the country too”, Boskov said.
According to Ismet Ramadani, chairman of the North Atlantic Council in Skopje and advisor to PM Zoran Zaev says that the positive effects from NATO’s accession will be seen a year after accession.
“Montenegro is a good example for this. A year after the country become a NATO member, it registered a big economic growth, while foreign investments in Albania doubled”, Ramadani said.
However, citizens are skeptic as to the positive effects on the economy. “I don’t think there will be quick progress, because youth will not stay in a country with an average wage of 250 euros a month. Albania and Bulgaria are also in the NATO, but nothing has changed for citizens of these countries”, says Dimitar S who works in the private sector.
PM Zoran Zaev has pledged that once the country enters NATO under its new name, North Macedonia, there will be economic progress.