Tuzmen: Macedonia Will Decrease Its Customs Duties On Turkish Industrial Products

ANKARA - State Minister Kursat Tuzmen said on Thursday that Macedonia would reduce the customs duties it put on Turkish industrial products.
Wrapping up his meetings in Macedonia, Tuzmen said that his visit to Macedonia was very successful and he stressed that Macedonia could be a base in Turkey's sending its exports to the Balkans.
Recalling that he met with Macedonian Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski, and Economy Minister Stevco Jakimovski, Tuzmen said that ''we took up all the commercial problems between Turkey and Macedonia. Both officials were very sincere about the solution of the problems. The biggest problem of our exporters and investors in Macedonia was the 30 percent customs duties put on Turkish products, while this amount is only 1 percent on EU products. Our exporters faced unjust competition on Macedonian market. We explained the issue to Macedonian Prime Minister and Economy Minister and asked them to end this injustice. They both welcomed our demand and we signed a protocol to decrease the customs duties on Turkish industrial products.''
Tuzmen stated that Turkish and Macedonian technical delegations would come together soon and determine on which products reduction would be made, adding that decreasing of the customs duties would increase significantly the trade volume between the two countries.
Tuzmen said that Turkey should not regard Macedonia as a two-million market, adding that Macedonia should be regarded as a market from where exports could be sent to the whole Balkans.
Noting that he also exchanged views about the projects of Turkish contractors in Macedonia, Tuzmen said he asked support for giving the modernization projects of Skopje airport by Turkish companies.
Tuzmen stressed that one Turkish company in Macedonia reached agreement to set up a commercial centre worth of 30 million dollars and some Turkish companies purchased the privatized institutions. Tuzmen said he also met with Turkish companies based in Macedonia, adding that nearly forty Turkish companies reached important success in Macedonia and almost half of the durable goods market in Macedonia belonged to Turkish companies.
Tuzmen remarked that the businessmen meeting organized by Turkish-Macedonian Business Council also yielded positive results, adding that the trade volume between the two countries would further improve next year.
Tuzmen stressed that Macedonian Prime Minister Branko Crvenkovski would visit Turkey in March.
(Öª-AÖ) 11.12.2003