The western Balkans countries are attractive to investors seeking low-cost locations in Europe. However, a lack of integration is limiting the region's prospects. 

Albania and North Macedonia are hopeful of being granted official EU accession talks by the end of 2019, with other western Balkan countries watching on keenly.

Kreshnik Bekteshi, minster of economy for Macedonia, talks to Sebastian Shehadi about its business-friendly incentives and positive steps towards EU integration, and why the country is more than just a source of cheap labour. 

The successful pursuit of foreign investment to Macedonia in recent years is in no small part down to prime minister Nikola Gruevski's businesslike approach to running his country. He tells Michal Kaczmarski how this approach – combined with a worldwide talent search – is reaping rewards.

Macedonia’s finance minister and deputy PM, Zoran Stavreski, explains why his country’s EU candidate status allows it greater flexibility on taxes and incentives than other countries in the union can offer

The republic of Macedonia has undergone a radical transformation in recent years thanks to its government's efforts to revitalise the country's economy, business environment and the look of its capital city, Skopje. The result is new buildings, new businesses and record inflows of FDI.

For decades the textiles industry was Macedonia's specialty, but the break-up of the former Yugoslavia in the 1990s caused production to slow dramatically. However, the industry is showing signs of a revival, led by the likes of Comfy Angel and Moda Sveti Nikole, both of which have attracted interest from western Europe.

While some IT hotspots in central and eastern Europe are overheating, with rising demand leading to a hike in wage expectations, Macedonia is positioning itself to take advantage, investing in developing the IT expertise of its graduates and establishing a business incubator to assist new businesses.