Kichevo, 13 December 2024 (MIA) – The launch of construction works for an electric battery plant by Avesta Battery and Energy Engineering, a Belgian company, was marked Friday at a cornerstone-laying ceremony in the Kichevo industrial development zone.

Ten million euros will be invested in the first phase and up to 200 jobs will be created.

Aleksandar Golaboski, Avesta Skopje CEO, said 50 million euros in exports will be recorded in the first year of the investment, expected to be estimated up to 40 million euros and to employ 600 people. 

“We hope the plant will be completed next year. According to the business plan, export in the first year is expected at close to 50 million euros. We expect it to increase ten-fold in seven to eight years’ time,” stated Golaboski.

Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said the launch of the investment is a proof that a lot can be done with joint efforts. He called it “a beautiful investment” for the western part of Macedonia.

He said up to 600 jobs will be created, possibly more, and exports to be estimated at half a billion euros in six to seven years’ time. “This is a proof that a lot can be done with joint efforts. The director of the industrial development zone and the investor had done a lot to launch the project. I’m confident the investor will resume the investment cycle,” stated Mickoski.

The PM said that other investments will be revealed soon, reiterating that billion euros in investments will be recorded by year-end. 

“It will make us to be the best in the Balkans per capita bringing us back on the map of investors after being forgotten in the past seven years,” said Mickoski. 

Photo: printscreen