A Macedonian government team presented the country's investment benefits and conditions for starting and running a business before representatives of 20 energy and petrochemical companies in Houston.

The team in Houston is led by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski for a series of business promotions in the United States.

In order to present the conditions for investing in Macedonia, the delegation - made up of Deputy PM for Economic Affairs Vladimir Pesevski, Foreign Investments Minister Vele Samak and director of the Agency for Foreign Investments and Export Promotion, Visar Fida - held a working dinner with representatives of companies that are members of the Texas Turkish-American Chamber of Commerce.

PM Gruevski presented the business climate in Macedonia emphasizing the possibilities for use of mineral raw materials.

In his address, Gruevski said that Macedonia offered the lowest costs for opening and running a business in Europe - low tax package, tax exemption in the early stage of launching a business, profit tax exemption as well as comparatively lower costs for hiring an adequately qualified workforce.

"The best confirmation and guarantee for the favourable opportunities offered to foreign investors are the decisions reached by some foreign companies to open additional and new production capacities in our country," Gruevski said.

The government delegation on Thursday is also scheduled to attend a business forum in Houston to present Macedonia's comparative advantages before foreign investors.

PM Gruevski is expected to visit the Texas Medical Center and to meet the mayor of Houston, Annise Parker.