HEPA Hungarian Export Promotion Agency’s latest event focused on the economic and investment environment of North Macedonia, creating an opportunity to further strengthen Hungarian–North Macedonian business relations. Representatives of participating companies received a comprehensive overview of the country’s business landscape, and the event also provided opportunities to establish new collaborations and partnerships.
North Macedonia is one of Hungary’s key partners in the Western Balkans. The strengthening of bilateral trade relations is demonstrated by the fact that in 2025 total trade turnover exceeded 1 billion euros. Hungarian goods exports amounted to 515 million euros, while service exports reached 62 million euros. These figures clearly show that economic cooperation between the two countries is continuously expanding, and more and more businesses are discovering new opportunities in the region.
(from left to right: Szandra Harasztia, Foreign Trade Attaché; Vladimir Peshevski, advisor to the Prime Minister of North Macedonia; Katalin Bihari, CEO of HEPA; Dr. Gábor Péter Artner, Deputy CEO of HEPA)
The most promising sectors include energy, telecommunication and the tech industry. North Macedonia’s stable and predictable business environment, along with the growing demand for modern solutions, creates favorable conditions for Hungarian companies. HEPA supports domestic enterprises entering the market through targeted programs, professional assistance and tailored advisory services.
In her opening remarks, Katalin Bihari, CEO of HEPA, emphasized that in recent years, North Macedonia has become one of Hungary’s key export markets in the Western Balkans and serves as an important gateway to other countries in the region. Deputy CEO Dr. Gábor Péter Artner highlighted the economic significance of the close neighbourly relationship between the two countries and pointed out the most important areas for further cooperation.
(Vladimir Peshevski, advisor to the Prime Minister of North Macedonia and Former Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs)
At the event, Vladimir Peshevski, advisor to the Prime Minister of North Macedonia and Former Deputy Prime Minister for Economic Affairs presented the current economic and political landscape of North Macedonia. His full presentation is available to view here. He was followed by Szandra Harasztia, Foreign Trade Attaché in Skopje, who introduced investment and export support opportunities as well as the experiences of Hungarian companies operating in the local market.
The stakeholder day clearly demonstrated that Hungarian–North Macedonian economic cooperation holds further growth potential, and both sides are committed to strengthening this dynamically developing economic partnership through joint efforts.