NOTES FROM SKOPJE

 

The First WFZC Regional Meeting took place in Skopje, Macedonia on the 11th & 12th November.  This was held immediately prior to the inter-governmental CEI Summit Economic Forum which opened on the 13th and which attracted some 1200 participants.  The Regional Meeting programme also attracted delegates from outside the Region, including from Sri Lanka, Egypt and Pakistan.

 

During the Meeting the Director* of the Free Zones Directorate of Macedonia proposed a new South Eastern European Association of Free Zones.  This was enthusiastically welcomed by the majority of the Zones present and a Memorandum of Understanding was signed on the spot.

 

The conclusions drawn from this Meeting were brought to the attention of participants to the Fifth CEI Summit Economic Forum at a Free Zones Focus Group by Graham Mather, Chairman of WFZC.  This Session was chaired by Dr. Costas Masmanidis, Secretary General of the Black Sea Economic  Cooperation Business Council.

 

* Mr. Milivoj Kolevski, who has since been succeeded by Mr. Victor Delov following recent government elections.

Delegates who attended the First ZFWC Regional Meeting included senior representatives from the following countries,  including Macedonia.

ALBANIA

BELGIUM

CROATIA

EGYPT

FRANCE

BULGARIA

IRELAND

ITALY

U.K.

UNITED STATES

AUSTRIA

PAKISTAN

SLOVENIA

SRI LANKA

GREECE

TURKEY

UKRAINE

FED. REP. OF YUGOSLAVIA