North Macedonia Stock Exchange launches initiative to prepare companies for market financing

The North Macedonia Stock Exchange has officially launched a project aimed at encouraging and preparing local companies to secure financing through the market.

The initiative is being implemented with the support of the EBRD, on the basis of a Memorandum of Cooperation. As part of it, up to ten companies will undergo a professional and independent assessment to measure their readiness to enter the capital market through the issuance of shares or bonds.

In addition, they will also take part in a special leadership academy and will receive concrete recommendations on the next steps in preparing to secure financing through the capital market.

“Our position is that companies in Macedonia should not have only one door to this capital. Bank credit is very important, but it would be good if it were not the only solution. Macedonia lacks companies that are ready to attract capital from different investors. Therefore, we as the Macedonian Stock Exchange continuously talk about IPOs and market-based financing; this is also our mission,” said Ivan Shteriev, executive director of the Macedonian Stock Exchange.

“We have developed this project to provide advisory assistance for a maximum of 10 companies, mainly small and medium-sized enterprises, and within the framework of this project we will help these companies better understand the opportunities offered by market capital, and how to use them in their efforts to boost competitiveness,” stressed Maja Stolevska Kostadinovska of the EBRD.

The Macedonian Stock Exchange estimates that this project will contribute to the creation of new financial instruments and the emergence of new issuers in Macedonia’s capital market, thereby encouraging its further development. /rtvm2