Business certification of municipalities guaranteeing their offer of swift and quality administrative services for the business community and potential investors is foreseen through project "Business-Friendly Certification - International Quality Seal for Business-Friendly Municipalities".

The project was officially launched with Thursday's signing of a cooperation memorandum by the Ministry of Economy, Association of Self-Government Units (ZELS), Macedonian Chambers of Commerce (SSK), and Agency for Foreign Investments and Export Promotion. It will be implemented in the following 18 months, with the first stage encompassing municipalities Stip, Strumica, Struga and Veles.

"The project will enable municipalities to attract more domestic and foreign investors, primarily through modernization of their services. By creating a window where potential investors can obtain the required information for doing business, local self-government units will easily find themselves on the international map for investment attraction", said Economy Minister Valon Saraqin prior to the memo signing.

In order to get a business certificate, municipalities will need to meet 12 criteria, including the creation of favorable business climate and appropriate conditions in line with requirements of local companies and potential investors. Moreover, they will be maintained and upgraded, since the certificate is renewed every two years.

"The certificate represents a commitment for more efficient and more transparent administration, which is especially important for every investor, but also an acknowledgment over the improved municipal structure, as well as implemented standards. This will increase competitiveness of local businesses, as well as promotion at national, regional and international level. Investors will not need to look for other municipalities in the neighborhood to invest their capital", stressed Saraqini.

Project "Business-Friendly Certification - International Quality Seal for Business-Friendly Municipalities" is already implemented in Bosnia&Herzegovina, Croatia and Serbia, where 17 municipalities have already been certified.

SSK will implement the project in Macedonia, supported by the Open Regional Fund within the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), funded by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).