In the latest episode of the Business Club podcast, the guest of Branko Azeski, President of the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia, was Dr. Tatjana Shterjova-Dushkovska, Secretary General of the Western Balkans 6 Chamber Investment Forum (WB6 CIF), headquartered in Trieste. She spoke about the WB6 CIF as a platform for cooperation among regional chambers in the Western Balkans, aimed at implementing joint activities in the interest of the regional business community.

“The chambers of commerce from the region, led by the President of the Economic Chamber Branko Azeski and the then-presidents of the Kosovo Chamber of Commerce and the Serbian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, in response to the regionalization process—emphasizing the Western Balkans—within the Berlin Process initiative, launched by Chancellor Angela Merkel, came up with the idea that the most suitable response from the private sector would be to unite the chambers of commerce into a single body. This body would monitor developments, channel the needs and demands of the business community, and actively represent its interests while working with companies to maximize the benefits of joint efforts,” said Dr. Tatjana Shterjova-Dushkovska.

The WB6 Chamber Investment Forum, established on 27 August 2015, in Vienna, as part of the Berlin Process summit, focuses on enhancing the competitiveness of regional economies by connecting the business communities of six Western Balkan countries. Its activities include improving the business climate, increasing trade within the region and beyond, promoting further trade integration, creating a dynamic regional investment space, facilitating mobility, and developing a digital integration agenda.

Asked whether the Western Balkans 6 Chamber Investment Forum should be institutionalized, Shterjova-Dushkovska responded that, even in its current form, with the support of the German government, which leads the initiative, the WB6 CIF is functioning successfully. She highlighted that one of the most positive aspects of its work has been strengthening regional cooperation by involving the private sector.

In the discussion, Dushkovska emphasized that there is a list of companies that have directly benefited from WB6 CIF activities. One such initiative is the Regional Challenge Fund project, supported by the German and Swiss governments, aimed at strengthening collaboration between educational institutions and companies through work-based learning programs funded by grants. Across the region, through three open calls, 99 projects were supported with a total funding of over €44 million, involving more than 530 companies. According to Dushkovska, this demonstrates how companies across the region are mobilizing to address one of the most pressing challenges—securing a skilled and competent workforce. The grants have been used to equip facilities, and many schools have acquired state-of-the-art teaching tools, virtual reality equipment, advanced training simulators, CNC machines, and laboratory resources. Other WB6 CIF activities include direct company participation in trade fairs and business forums, as well as assisting businesses in developing project proposals to access funding from EU pre-accession funds in collaboration with consultants. Out of 60 submitted applications for financial assistance, 13 company projects received funding, with a total budget of €1.1 million.

Dr. Tatjana Shterjova-Dushkovska began her Chamber career in 2011, focusing on regional economic integration, after transitioning from the Faculty of Law Iustinianus Primus in Skopje, where she had worked as a teaching assistant in Civil Procedural Law. She has served as WB6 CIF’s Secretary General during a challenging period, marked by multiple crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, political tensions between Kosovo and Serbia, and the energy crisis—all of which affected the implementation of certain action plan objectives for the Common Regional Market and some initiatives for deepening regional economic cooperation. Her dedication to WB6 CIF’s mission has helped establish it as a recognized partner and advocate for the business community in the Western Balkans, particularly in the eyes of international institutions, including the European Commission. She has also contributed to drafting key documents for regional economic integration and has participated in consultations for shaping the new Economic Growth Plan, ensuring WB6 CIF’s involvement in preparing the new regional cooperation action plan, which came into effect this year.