Antonio Argir, Management Board Member of the NLB Group, responsible for management, payments, and innovation, shared key perspectives on the Economic Chamber in the latest episode of the Business Club podcast with Branko Azeski. He emphasized three main aspects: the Chamber as a driving force of the economy, the Chamber as a partner and challenger to the Government, and the Chamber as a bridge to quality education to ensure a skilled labor.

"The Chamber, which has existed for 103 years, represents the economy with 15,000 members, providing continuity and serving as one of the stable pillars of Macedonia’s statehood," stated Argir.

During the discussion, Argir emphasized that the Chamber must continue to be a strong support system for major, especially export-oriented companies, which directly contribute to economic growth. This, in turn, creates new opportunities for the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), fostering a more stable business environment and increasing employment. According to him, even though multiple chambers now operate in a democratic landscape, when people say "the Chamber", they still refer to the Economic Chamber—due to its influence, membership size, and active role in supporting legal and business reforms for corporate development.

He views the Chamber as an equal partner in its work with the Government, while also acting as an active challenger and motivator for better business regulations, a stronger economic climate, and higher GDP growth than previously achieved. He stressed that the Chamber must remain a powerful advocate against the grey economy and corruption, pushing for bold legislative changes to foster transparency and ensure equal opportunities for all businesses.

"The Chamber must be a bridge between companies and the state. We are not the opposition to the Government—we must identify what is positive, whether within the Chamber, the Government, or elsewhere, and work on it together," emphasized Antonio Argir.

Later in the podcast, Azeski and Argir focused on education and digitalization. Argir argued that the Chamber should initiate and create conditions to improve human capital and address the shortage of skilled workers. He believes that education of young workforce must align with the real needs of the economy, and he compared Macedonia's approach to Slovenia, which invests heavily in education. He stressed the importance of introducing new standards and learning methods, emphasizing lifelong learning as key to professional growth, innovation, and global competitiveness. In his opinion, future education should focus on new generations and new business types.

Speaking on digitalization, Argir underlined that it is not a choice but an absolute necessity. He emphasized that the Chamber should push for: automation of administrative processes, digitalization of state services, and modernization of companies. Macedonia must not lag behind in adopting modern technologies and digital solutions across small, medium-sized, and large enterprises.

"The debate should not be about whether digitalization is needed—it is inevitable, and we must move forward as quickly as possible. This includes digitalizing businesses and public administration. Digitalization is key to combating both corruption and the grey economy. By digitalizing services and payments, we minimize opportunities for shadow activities that harm our society," Argir stressed.

Antonio Argir served as Vice President of the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia from 2018 to 2023. Before that, from 2015 to 2018, he was a member of the Chamber's Assembly.