The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov, today, as part of his working visit to the Municipality of Stip, met with the Mayor of the Municipality, Zoran Aleksov. At the meeting, the President was briefed about the projects implemented by the local government in the past period, about the economic development of the municipality, the current and future investments. Mayor Aleksov informed the President on the activities and endeavors which will result in a more modern and more beautiful city.

During the meeting of the President with the business sector representatives, the investment potentials of the city of Stip were presented, with an emphasis on the opportunities for investment in the industrial zones and in the technological industrial development zone. However, the key remark of the entrepreneurs from Stip was the need the eastern part of the state to get a more modern road infrastructure that will enable faster communication and transportation of the products to the European markets.

”Eastern Macedonia needs a new, modern infrastructure. Now is the time to put greater emphasis on reconstruction so that local resources can be utilized fully. The road Miladinovci - Stip would enable greater communication and businessmen would not spend time and resources for transportation. It is necessary to improve the public transport in the surrounding places”, President Ivanov said.

Stip businessmen also informed the President that due to the economic crisis, they face certain delays in the export of products, but that they do their best to overcome those obstacles.

President Ivanov visited the textile company “Albatross”, which, as he added, is a reflection of the economy of Stip.

”We talked about the possibilities offered by this industry branch and the future prospects, but also what can be used from the rich experience of Stip textile industry for a greater development. The textile industry needs labor force; most of the textile companies are facing lack of workers. There is a need for manpower in the direct manufacturing, but also adequate professional staff that would enable European market criteria to be met, where most of the products are exported”, the President said.

In a media statement during today’s visit to Stip, the President touched upon the agreement reached for international representation between Serbia and Kosovo, which is another example of parallel development of integration processes and the efforts to find solutions to bilateral disputes. As he stressed, it should be a model applied for Skopje and Athens in overcoming the name dispute.
“If there is will, there is also a way. We do not see that our neighbor is willing to follow Slovenian-Croatian example – parallel movement in the integration process and resolving the name issue. Serbia and Kosovo demonstrated will to find a solution. We have spent 20 years to encourage our neighbors to show willingness to reach a solution to the problem they have created. Given their policy so far, it is obvious that what they have done in the case with Cyprus, with Turkey, now they do with us. They let their problems be solved by the European Union, NATO, stressed the Head of state today in Stip.

Asked to comment the statements given by NATO Secretary General Anders Fogh Rasmussen and U.S. Ambassador to Macedonia Paul Wohlers that consensus is the key preventing us to join NATO, the President stressed that such statements do not indulge us with great optimism regarding the decisions of the upcoming NATO Summit in Chicago.

"We hope and expect what was done in Bucharest to be corrected, because Greece misled other member-states, refusing to give its consent, although Greece is obliged under the Interim Accord to respect the agreements with us and with the international community”, President Ivanov said, adding that NATO should respect the ruling of the International Court of Justice, which strictly and clearly stated that a mistake was done at the Summit in Bucharest.

President Ivanov finished his visit to the Municipality of Stip by visiting the Institute for Protection of Monuments and the Museum of the City of Stip.