The President of the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia, Branko Azeski, and Pavel Usvatov, Director of the Rule of Law Program for South East Europe at the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung, signed a cooperation agreement establishing a framework for the Chamber’s participation in the implementation of the project “Clean Business North Macedonia,” led by the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung and aimed at strengthening business integrity in the country.

President Azeski emphasized that the fight against corruption has long been elevated as one of the Chamber’s strategic priorities, as the business community increasingly recognizes corruption as a serious obstacle to effective and efficient rule of law, economic growth, and the stability of a competitive market economy. He stressed that significant and urgent steps are needed to address this challenge. For the Chamber, it is undisputed that the rule of law must be universal and that the fight against corruption must proceed without obstruction. In this regard, the Chamber supports all efforts and initiatives aimed at combating corruption and raising awareness of its impact on business. He added that the signing of this agreement will further contribute to enhancing the integrity of the business sector and strengthening efforts to curb corruption in business operations.

Pavel Usvatov of the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung noted that the organization operates on the premise that results matter more than processes. Accordingly, this project sets specific objectives through the development of concrete tools, aimed at helping companies recognize the benefits of combating corruption. It also seeks to ensure that even the most skeptical business operators understand the advantages this brings to their operations. He expressed confidence that, with the support of the Chamber, these objectives will be achieved.

The project “Business with Integrity” (Clean Business North Macedonia – Mobilizing Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises as Leaders Against Corruption) aims to strengthen the role of small and medium-sized enterprises in promoting business integrity, transparency, and anti-corruption practices. The project is co-financed by the European Union and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. Through the development of tools, analyses, and activities aimed at supporting SMEs, the project creates a platform for a stronger, more accountable, and more competitive business environment. Additionally, the project seeks to provide guidelines, recommendations, and concrete mechanisms to help companies identify, reduce, and manage corruption risks.