Small and medium-sized enterprises play a key role in economic growth, innovation and social stability, as a state we provide support and create policies for their greater growth and development, said Deputy Minister of Economy and Labor Marjan Risteski at the Conference "Launching the SME Policy Index 2026 for the Western Balkans and Türkiye", which is currently being held in Budva.
Within the framework of the Conference, Deputy Minister Risteski participated in a panel discussion on the topic "Sustainability and Resilience of Small and Medium-sized Enterprises" with a focus on policies that support the green transition, efficient use of resources, access to sustainable financing and the cooperation of science with business for the growth and development of small and medium-sized enterprises.
- Scientific research and business should not be treated as separate categories, they must have greater cooperation, and research must be used as a direct tool for making more stable, smarter, more competitive and greener businesses. The biggest opportunity for stronger cooperation between research and business is transforming existing knowledge and strategies into real, practical innovation that small and medium-sized enterprises can really use - said Risteski.
He added that the Government is establishing the strategic framework as a foundation, which consists of the National Development Strategy, the SME Strategy, the Smart Specialization Strategy and the Circular Economy Roadmap developed with the OECD, and that it is this framework that is the roadmap for future policies for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises in Macedonia.
- Within the framework of the Ministry of Economy and Labor, we have prepared the National Strategy for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises 2025-2030, a strategy that connects all areas - competitiveness, innovation, green transition, skills and resilience. This ensures that all our plans and instruments for supporting the development of small and medium-sized enterprises are not isolated, but part of a coordinated political system - added Risteski.
The conference "Launching the SME Policy Index 2026 for the Western Balkans and Türkiye" is organized by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), and was attended by Ministers responsible for business development, competitiveness and economic affairs of the Western Balkans and OECD and EU member states, the European Commission, as well as representatives from international and regional partner organizations.
