President of the Economic Chamber Branko Azeski took part in a series of activities held in Debar with members of the diplomatic corps, at the invitation of diplomats accredited to Macedonia, and attended by businesspeople from the region.

The program began with a visit to the Monastery of St. Jovan Bigorski, including a tour of the church and the monastery quarters. During the visit, and ahead of the major Christian holiday of the Dormition of the Mother of God, President Azeski presented the monastery with a painting.

The informal gathering continued in a relaxed setting at Hotel Cami on the shores of Lake Debar, where diplomats, businesspeople and prominent figures from the region exchanged views on issues of interest to the business community and the economic environment. The discussions also took into account the fact that some of the current ambassadors will be returning to their home countries to take up other government positions, opening up further opportunities to strengthen cooperation with Macedonia and the countries of the Western Balkans.

Today, 28 August, is Miners’ Day. President Azeski extends his sincere congratulations to all those working in the mining sector, including companies, institutions, the scientific community and academia. The Economic Chamber’s organizational structure includes the Macedonian Mining Association (MAR), which brings together the largest and most significant companies in the sector. These companies make an important contribution to GDP and see the future development of mining in terms of safe, modern and responsible use of natural resources, with tangible benefits for local communities and the economy as a whole.

“Mining is an important part of the Macedonian economy, but its future development must be based on clear rules, stronger institutional oversight, greater safety, modern technologies and tangible benefits for the communities where extraction takes place,” said Sanja Bozhinovska, Minister of Energy, Mining and Mineral Resources.

In 2025, Macedonia produced 130,174 tonnes of copper, lead and zinc concentrate. Mining accounted for 10.9% of industrial production and 2.8% of total Macedonian exports.

Macedonia also has a Mineral Resources Strategy, which is expected to provide the sector with a clear and long-term development direction after several decades without one.

On behalf of the Economic Chamber and personally, President Branko Azeski extended his congratulations to Orthodox Christian believers on the 28 August holiday, the Dormition of the Mother of God.