site.btaBulgaria, Republic of Macedonia to Work for Joint Border Control, Construction of Transport Corridor 8

January 17 (BTA) - Bulgaria and the Republic of
Macedonia will work for streamlining border crossings and joint
border control, it was agreed during a meeting between Bulgarian
 Deputy Prime Minister Tomislav Donchev and Macedonian Deputy
Prime Minister in charge of economic affairs Koco Angjusev, the
Bulgarian government said on Thursday. Donchev heads a Bulgarian
 delegation attending the  opening of a Bulgarian-Macedonian
business forum in Skopje.

At the meeting Donchev and Angjusev noted that the construction
of Transport Corridor 8 is a joint priority of the two
neighbours. Donchev said that Bulgaria will do what is necessary
 for speeding up the completion of the railway line between
Sofia and Skopje. Angjusev noted that his country is interested
in cooperation with Bulgaria in the energy sector.

The two officials noted the need for a review and easing of all
regulations and administrative regimes that create burdens for
investment and trade between Bulgaria and Macedonia.

Later on Thursday Donchev and Angjusev opened the
Bulgarian-Macedonian business forum. Bulgarian Deputy Economy
Minister Alexander Manolev, who is part of the Bulgarian
delegation to Skopje, said that in the past ten years the
Bulgarian exports to Macedonia increased more than two-fold.

The two-way commercial exchange grew at almost the same pace and
 has reached 723 million euros, Manolev said, quoted by the
Bulgarian Economy Ministry. The Bulgarian investments in
Macedonia increase too. Most of them are in the banking and
insurance sector, metallurgy, food making, geological
exploration, IT and telecommunications, etc.

Later on Thursday Manolev and his Macedonian counterpart Kire
Naumov opened the new Bulgarian Service for Commercial and
Business Affairs in Skopje. Bulgaria is among the six biggest
investors in the Republic of Macedonia, Manolev said. He added
that a number of meetings have been held with representatives of
 ministries, state agencies, companies and commercial chambers
and that the interest on the part of Bulgarian businesses is
big. Manolev said that several Bulgarian mass media are studying
 the possibility of opening representations in Skopje. 

On the Bulgarian delegation to Skopje are also Deputy Tourism
Minister Lyuben Kunchev, the Executive Director of the Executive
 Agency for SME Promotion, Boiko Takov, and mayors of
municipalities close to the Bulgarian-Macedonian border. LY,
RY/ZH

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