The Foreign Economic Relations Board (DEİK) organized the Türkiye–North Macedonia Business Forum in İstanbul on June 12, 2026, with the participation of Prime Minister of North Macedonia Prof. Dr. Hristijan Mickoski, Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Türkiye Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Affairs of North Macedonia Bekim Sali, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of the Republic of North Macedonia Prof. Dr. Timcho Mucunski, DEİK President Nail Olpak, DEİK/Türkiye–North Macedonia Business Council Chairperson Bilal Kara, UNDP Europe and Central Asia Regional Bureau Deputy Regional Director Nick Hartmann, and more than 350 business people from both countries. Vladimir Peshevski, Advisor to the Prime Minister of North Macedonia and former Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs, delivered a presentation on the North Macedonia Investor Map.

Prime Minister of North Macedonia Prof. Dr. Hristijan Mickoski described meetings such as this forum as opportunities, stating that political friendships are transformed into economic cooperation, investment, and employment through such gatherings. Mickoski emphasized that relations between North Macedonia and Türkiye go beyond conventional intergovernmental ties, highlighting the foundation of mutual respect, sincerity, trust, and understanding between the two sides. He noted that Türkiye being among the first countries to recognize North Macedonia's independence holds great significance for them and conveys the message that his country has friends who believe in its future and development. Evaluating the current period as one marked by economic and geopolitical changes, Mickoski said that North Macedonia offers stability and predictability for companies seeking safe investment routes. He stressed that investing in North Macedonia provides access not only to the local market but also to the Balkan and European markets. "A particularly important point for Turkish companies is that by investing in my country, they can establish production facilities integrated into the European supply chain and gain the opportunity to offer their products to European markets under highly favorable conditions. When discussing Turkish investments in my country, it is important to emphasize that Turkish companies are already a significant part of our economy and that their presence has created a highly successful business ecosystem," he said.

Bolat: "The bilateral trade volume target is 2 billion dollars"

Minister of Trade of the Republic of Türkiye Prof. Dr. Ömer Bolat stated that the Forum once again demonstrated the strong potential for economic cooperation and the growing friendly relations between Türkiye and North Macedonia. Bolat noted that discussions focused on critical areas such as trade, investment, production, logistics, digital transformation, and sustainable development. "Türkiye continues to be a major global production and investment center with its strong industrial infrastructure and strategic location. North Macedonia has achieved significant regional economic success by increasing exports and per capita income and has become an attractive destination for investment. The Free Trade Agreement between Türkiye and North Macedonia has been the cornerstone of trade and investment for more than 25 years. Türkiye is North Macedonia's seventh-largest trading partner and second-largest foreign investor. Bilateral trade volume has reached approximately 1 billion dollars, and the target of 2 billion dollars remains in place. Turkish companies make significant contributions to employment, industrial capacity, and economic growth in North Macedonia. Our shared vision is to strengthen regional cooperation and economic integration in the Balkans through joint production rather than competition. The Business Forum has served as an important networking and opportunity platform for new investments, projects, and business partnerships. The goal is to increase trade volume, strengthen investment flows, and deepen economic integration," he said.

Uraloğlu: "Transport corridors are indispensable for the development of our trade relations"

Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Türkiye Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said, "As our President has repeatedly stated, we attach great importance to developing our bilateral relations in every field, especially transportation, defense, industry, and energy. Transport corridors are indispensable for the further development of our trade relations. Our companies, which have proven themselves in North Macedonia, can continue their ongoing work while also taking part in your important projects that are planned or have reached the tender stage. The interest and contributions of Turkish firms to projects in the region are important indicators of their technical capacity, international experience, and confidence in the region. Within the scope of our Middle Corridor vision, our country is not merely a transit route but also a strategic partner located at the center of production, logistics, and data flows. We attach importance to developing our cooperation with North Macedonia in a multidimensional manner. We view cooperation between Türkiye and North Macedonia not only in terms of bilateral economic relations but also as part of a broader connectivity vision extending from Europe to Central Asia and from the Gulf to Africa."

Olpak: "We should also focus on sectoral diversification to increase bilateral trade"

DEİK President Nail Olpak said, "Türkiye and North Macedonia have one of the strongest economic partnerships in the Balkans thanks to strong political relations, the Free Trade Agreement, and Turkish investments. It is believed that the bilateral trade volume of approximately 1 billion dollars can be doubled in a short time. North Macedonia's EU accession process, infrastructure investments, and growing economy create new business opportunities, while production, logistics, construction, and renewable energy are among the leading sectors for enhancing cooperation between the two countries. Trade between the two countries still has limited sectoral diversity. We should also focus on sectoral diversification in order to increase bilateral trade. Free Economic Zones, developing road and railway networks, and North Macedonia's strategic location on Pan-European transport corridors offer significant opportunities for Turkish construction and logistics companies. These issues will be discussed in detail during today's panel. At the same time, border crossing times, transit quotas, and rising transportation costs in the Balkans create various challenges for trade. North Macedonia's determination to move away from coal and turn toward renewable energy sources is an area where Turkish companies can make important contributions with their expertise in solar energy, wind energy, and energy efficiency. Turkish firms have made investments in North Macedonia in banking, manufacturing, healthcare, and education. However, limited access to financing and a shortage of qualified labor remain among the main obstacles to further expanding these investments."

Sali: "I would like to encourage Turkish companies to actively take advantage of opportunities arising from European financing mechanisms"

First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for European Affairs of North Macedonia Bekim Sali stated, "As a government, we remain committed to creating a stable, predictable, and competitive business environment that promotes investment, innovation, and sustainable economic growth. I would like to encourage Turkish companies to actively benefit from opportunities arising from EU funding instruments, IPA funds, the Western Balkans Investment Framework, and other European financing mechanisms." Sali explained that the North Macedonian government prioritizes infrastructure connectivity and stated that the Corridor 8 and Corridor 10 highway projects would contribute economically and commercially to both his country and the region. Emphasizing their goal of transforming North Macedonia into a logistics hub for the Adriatic, the Baltic region, and Asia, Sali noted that Turkish companies' experience and expertise in renewable energy, green transformation, and modern technologies could contribute significantly to his country's development.

Mucunski: "Türkiye continues to be one of our most important trading partners"

Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of the Republic of North Macedonia Prof. Dr. Timcho Mucunski said, "North Macedonia and Türkiye, as strategic partners and allies, have a relationship based on mutual respect and political trust. This strong political foundation is an asset, but it is also a responsibility. This foundation must now be transformed into deeper economic cooperation, higher trade volumes, more investments, and more tangible opportunities for our companies and citizens. Türkiye continues to be one of our most important economic and trading partners. Turkish investments have made significant contributions to our economic development." Mucunski stated that the presence of more than 3,000 Turkish companies in his country demonstrates the strong confidence of the Turkish business community in North Macedonia's future. He described the achievement of a bilateral trade volume of 1 billion dollars as an important milestone and emphasized that economic partnership and mutual investments could be developed even further.

Kara: "We need to transform this into trade, investment, joint ventures, and long-term cooperation"

DEİK/Türkiye–North Macedonia Business Council Chairperson Bilal Kara said, "Based on my many years of investment experience in North Macedonia, I can say that our two countries possess strong and complementary economic potential. We need to transform our strong political relations into greater trade, investment, joint ventures, and long-term cooperation. To achieve this, we must bring our companies together effectively, convert business opportunities into concrete projects, and strengthen trust, predictability, and transparency in the investment environment. As the DEİK/Türkiye–North Macedonia Business Council, we will continue to serve as a bridge between our business communities and follow up on the opportunities created today."

Hartmann: "As North Macedonia, we are ambitious and determined in our 2024–2034 development strategy"

UNDP Europe and Central Asia Regional Bureau Deputy Regional Director Nick Hartmann stated that the organization of the Business Forum demonstrates Türkiye's commitment to its relations with the Western Balkans. Hartmann said that North Macedonia's 2024–2034 development strategy is ambitious and determined, adding, "The strong participation from both Türkiye and North Macedonia here today is a clear indication of the growing interest in regional cooperation and cross-border investments."

The Panel on Bilateral Cooperation: Trade, Industry, Manufacturing, and Supply Chains was held under the moderation of DEİK President Nail Olpak, with the participation of Minister of Economy and Labor of the Republic of North Macedonia Besar Durmishi, Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources of the Republic of North Macedonia Sanja Božinovska, and Deputy Minister of Industry and Technology of the Republic of Türkiye Dr. Çetin Ali Dönmez.

The Panel on the Development of Transport Networks: Cooperation in Infrastructure, Logistics, and Investment was moderated by Secretary General of the Government of North Macedonia Igor Janushev, with the participation of Minister of Transport and Infrastructure of the Republic of Türkiye Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport of the Republic of North Macedonia Aleksandar Nikoloski, CEO of North Macedonia Free Economic Zones Dr. Goce Dimovski, TAV Airports CEO Serkan Kaptan, and General Manager of Free Economic Zones Emel Emirlioğlu.

The Forum sponsors were Halkbank, Gülermak, and TAV Airports.