Romania is an important partner for Macedonia and it is of crucial significance for both countries to intensify bilateral economic cooperation, President Gjorge Ivanov told Romanian businessmen at Friday's business forum, held in the country's Chamber of Commerce and Industry, MIA reports from Bucharest.

President Ivanov urged Romanian businessmen to visit Macedonia and use benefits when implementing business plans, not only on the Macedonian market but in the entire region.

He referred to Macedonia's macroeconomic stability and low inflation rate, balanced public finance accompanied by low budget deficit, stable foreign currency exchange rate and low public debt, which amounts to 26 percent of the GDP.

"We have responsible companies with competitive products that can find their place at your market. Therefore, I expect reduction of the trading imbalance through your future engagement", added Ivanov.

Macedonian and Romanian businessmen agreed that increased cooperation and joint performance at third markets is the way out of the global economic crisis. Macedonian companies have been invited to take part at the Forum for Economic Investments, which Romania will host alongside China and Russia in 2012.

Trade exchange with Romania in the first seven months of 2011 amounts to US$87 million, with a deficit on the Macedonian part.

President Ivanov is set to meet today with representatives of the Macedonian minority, and present a posthumous Medal of Merits for Macedonia to Liana Dumitrescu, received by her mother Konstantina Dumitrescu, current chair of the Association of Macedonians.

Liana Dumitrescu was the first representative of Macedonians in the Romanian Parliament from 2004 until her death in 2011. She fervently supported the initiative for recognition of the Macedonian community as an official minority in Romania.