Eight planning regions in Macedonia in the coming period are tasked with preparing innovation strategies with support by the Ministry of Local Self-Government, the Fund for Innovation and Technology Development, the German Corporation for International Cooperation (GIZ) and the Swiss Agency.
“This project stems from a government program following the implementation of a slew of other projects applied by the Ministry of Local Self-Government in connection to the planning regions. These projects aims at bolstering the connection with the business community, deemed a key player in the strengthening of regional economic development, Biljana Cvetanovska-Gugoska, state secretary at the Ministry, said before Friday’s event officially launching the preparation of regional strategies.
The Local Self-Government Ministry, she added, for nine years is continuously implementing projects on regional economic development. “Now, it is focusing on drafting these very important documents that will play a vital role in defining the trajectory of development of these planning regions.”
Cvetanovska-Gugoska elaborated that business centers had been opened as part of the departments for development of planning regions. “Their role is to organize informative events and to prepare documents, such as guides to attract foreign investors, programs for support to small and mediumsized enterprises, etc.”
Jasmina Popovska, Director of the Fund for Innovations and Technology Development, said more efforts would be made in the future to present the Fund’s activities to the enterprises and to motivate them to apply for finances.
“The Fund is providing close to EUR 2,65 million this year to stimulate all enterprises and sectors in Macedonia to be more innovative and we are not targeting them according to regions. However, we would like to see as many enterprises as possible from different regions, not only from the Skopje region, in order to establish equal regional development,” stated Popovska.
She called today’s event ‘an additional progress’ while introducing a strategic approach at a regional level. “Its objective is all relevant stakeholders to be included in the process of innovations.”