By presentation of awards for best women-entrepreneur and high school business plan the European SME Week and  Day of Entrepreneur 2012 were marked Wednesday in Skopje.

"In global terms the entrepreneurship is being considered the driving power of economic development, structural reforms and creation of new jobs. The sooner young people understand that ideas are the most valuable capital of each person, the better for the whole country," Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said at the ceremony.

The development of entrepreneurial spirit in Macedonia is a process that requires strong support, stimulation - something that had not been done in the past, the PM said.

"Most of the young people have creative potential, but their upbringing as and mentality of passive individuals prevent them to take any business risk. They believe they should acquire some diploma and wait for somebody else to employ them. This mentality, being promoted during the era of socialism, must be altered," Gruevski said.

The changes have already started, he said, pointing out an introduction of innovation, entrepreneurship lectures in high schools, Gruevski said.

"We have also launched campaigns for promoting entrepreneurship to stimulate citizens to rely on own ideas, know-how and take active part in bringing more quality to their lives," the PM said.

Stimulating the entrepreneurship, as a process of economic activities that combine the risk, creativity and innovation, is vital for the development of small, medium enterprises and opening of new jobs, Economy Minister Valon Saraqini said.

SMEs are the main driving power of every economy, including the Macedonian one, he said.

The European SME Week is a Europe-wide communication campaign taking place in the 37 countries, EU Ambassador to Macedonia Aivo Orav said.

The EU has recognized the substantial contribution of SMEs to economic growth and hence pays great attention to their development, he said.

The European SME Week aims to: provide information on what the EU and national, regional and local authorities are offering as support to micro, small and medium-sized businesses; promote entrepreneurship so that more people, and in particular younger ones, seriously consider becoming an entrepreneur as a career option and give recognition to entrepreneurs for their contribution to Europe's welfare, jobs, innovation and competitiveness.