Macedonia eyes EU Single Market integration and pharmaceutical growth

The European Commission has proposed a new plan to offer candidate countries, including Macedonia, gradual integration into the EU Single Market. This plan aims to provide easier access to trade and research programs to foster economic convergence, provided these nations align with the bloc's strategic interests.

In the domestic business sector, Zivko Mukaetov, CEO of the pharmaceutical company Alkaloid, expressed strong support for EU membership. He noted that joining the Union would significantly benefit Macedonian companies by providing access to larger markets, higher R&D investment funds, and faster product registration processes. Mukaetov highlighted that EU-based companies can access up to 50 percent in R&D funding, compared to the 10 percent available to Macedonian firms.

To sustain growth and innovation, Alkaloid is considering recruiting highly qualified scientific personnel from abroad, specifically from India, to address local shortages in research and development expertise. Mukaetov stated that the domestic system currently struggles to produce the volume of specialized talent required to compete with multinational corporations.