Business · Trade · 26 mins ago
Turkey and North Macedonia discuss updating free-trade agreement
Turkey's Trade Minister Ömer Bolat met North Macedonia's minister for international cooperation and foreign investment, Zulfikar Zeynula, to discuss economic ties.
They discussed updating the free-trade agreement as a way to help reach a target of $2 billion in trade between the countries.
Bolat said Turkish companies in North Macedonia have invested $2 billion and employ more than 10,000 people.
Turkish contractors have also taken on 45 projects there, worth about $2 billion.
The countries held a business forum in Istanbul on June 12, and Bolat said he hoped the next one would be held in Skopje.
The agreement update is intended to deepen economic ties, alongside cooperation through Turkish education and cultural organisations active in the Balkans.
Turkey and North Macedonia discussed updating their free-trade agreement, Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat said.
Bolat said the update could help the two countries reach a bilateral trade target of $2 billion.
He met Zülfikar Zeynula, North Macedonia’s minister of state responsible for international cooperation and foreign investments, at Turkey’s Trade Ministry.
Bolat said Turkish companies in North Macedonia have invested $2 billion and employ more than 10,000 people.
He also said Turkish contractors have undertaken 45 projects in North Macedonia worth about $2 billion.
- Who
- Turkish Trade Minister Ömer Bolat and North Macedonian minister of state Zülfikar Zeynula.
- What
- They discussed economic and trade ties, including updating the free-trade agreement. Bolat said the update could help meet a $2 billion trade-volume target.
- When
- The meeting was reported on October 28 and 29, 2026. The articles do not state the meeting date.
- Where
- At Turkey’s Trade Ministry.
- Why
- To advance economic and trade relations and work toward a $2 billion bilateral trade-volume target.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The Turkey-North Macedonia Business Forum was held in Istanbul, with North Macedonia’s prime minister, deputy prime ministers, nearly 10 ministers and more than 300 businesspeople attending.
Sabah reported that Bolat had discussed updating the free-trade agreement with Zeynula.
Milliyet reported Bolat’s comments about the meeting and the trade-volume target.
- Trade target
- $2 billion in bilateral trade volume
- Turkish investment
- $2 billion invested by Turkish companies in North Macedonia
- Employment
- More than 10,000 people employed by Turkish companies in North Macedonia
- Contracting projects
- 45 projects worth about $2 billion
- Business forum
- Held in Istanbul on June 12
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What people are saying
Kuzey Makedonya ile serbest ticaret anlaşmamızın güncellenmesiyle 2 milyar dolarlık ticaret hacmi hedefimize ulaşacağımıza inanıyoruz.