Political, security, economic, transport and digital connection is necessary to make our companies more competitive at the global market, our countries more successful at creating conditions for prosperity of the young people, and our regions more attractive for direct foreign investments. This is crucial for sustainable peace and development for all, said President Ivanov in his address at the opening of the 9th Bosphorus Summit held in Istanbul.

Referring to the challenges economies face today, President Ivanov pointed out the small markets for large companies. "As the Balkans borders branched off, the border crossings multiplied, and markets fragmentized", underlined the Macedonian President. The second challenge, according to him, is the enormous drain of expert workforce. "We as countries managed to close off the Balkans migrant corridor for the illegal migrants. However, we have hard time preventing the migration of our young people. After all, it seems that illegal migrants and our young people have one thing in common, and that is their destination – the most developed European centers. There they can apply their business ideas and achieve their life plans. Our region is depleting. The people who with their talents, education and skills create real value are leaving. Both countries and companies pay the price", determined the Macedonian President. The third great challenge, added President Ivanov, is the outdated manner in which part of the companies operate. Although we are already in the first century of the third millennium, some of the companies in the region still work according to the rules from the second millennium. They risk becoming incompetent and as a result noncompetitive at the global market.

According to the Macedonian President, in order to go beyond the regional fragmentation, it is necessary to have political and security interconnectivity. For the Balkans that implies membership to the European Union and NATO.

"The European Union was the most successful peace project which mobilized the countries and societies from the Balkans. We have been voluntarily changing due to the transformative power of the Union. However, the enlargement fatigue gave rise to a waiting fatigue in our country and instead of taking up reforms, we started dealing with ourselves. Therefore, it is necessary for the European Union to start the membership negotiations with the Republic of Macedonia as soon as possible", said President Ivanov.



Speaking of the challenges in the region, President Ivanov assessed that economic and transport connection is required, as well as digital transformation of the outdated ways of operation.

When our countries and economies connect, then our region will become a single economic zone, offering many more opportunities to our young workforce, said the Macedonian President. He added that in order to be included in the European economic zone on equal terms, it is necessary to be an equal part of the European and Euro-Asian road, railway and energy corridors.

Goal of the Bosphorus Summit, which is held under the patronage of the President of the Republic of Turkey, is to provide a platform for dialogue and to promote the economic cooperation among the countries.