In the latest episode of the Business Club podcast, President of the Economic Chamber Branko Azeski hosted Arijana Koskarova, MBA, a representative of the Chamber in Miami. The discussion shed light on the significance and reputation of the Economic Chamber in the United States, as exemplified by Koskarova's visa approval for her stay in the U.S.A., based on a recommendation from the ECNM’s President, and by a visit from the director of Forbes magazine to the Chamber as the oldest and most powerful business organization in Macedonia.

"When I applied for an extraordinary ability visa—granted to only 0.00005% of individuals worldwide—you were one of the signatories of my recommendation, thanks to our collaboration for the Balkan Summit we organized in 2019. I can confidently say that my journey and success in America began with that," stated Arijana Koskarova, MBA.

The podcast also addressed the topic of lobbying, drawing a comparison between its practice in Macedonia and the U.S.A. In America, lobbying is a standard, fully legitimate activity regulated by law. The individual lobbying for a tender is disclosed within the tender application itself, as lobbying is a legal profession for which fees are charged at the onset of the process. This transparent system is one way corruption is prevented in the U.S.A. In contrast, while Macedonia introduced the Law on Lobbying in June 2021 to curb illegitimate influence on public policies and potential corrupt practices, its implementation in practice has yet to materialize.

"When you apply for a tender, you disclose who your lobbyist is within the tender documentation and in the application itself," stated Koskarova.

Arijana Koskarova, MBA, organized one of the most significant business events, the Balkan Entrepreneurship Summit, in 2019, in collaboration with the Economic Chamber. The second summit is planned for 2025, with the goal of conquering American markets by connecting Macedonian and American companies. To achieve this goal, Koskarova emphasized the importance of finding the right people to guide Macedonian companies on how to enter the U.S.A. market effectively, including individuals like the Director of Economic Development, who has the expertise and team to provide the necessary direction.

"My goal is to organize a summit that connects Macedonian and American companies and opens opportunities for Macedonian companies to operate in America. I have the knowledge and the network to bring in the right people and guide Macedonian companies on how to work in the American market," stated Arijana Koskarova, MBA.