The EBRD (European Bank for Reconstruction and Development) Board of Directors is content with the improvement of Macedonia's business climate and its results achieved amid the financial crisis, Vice Premier and Finance Minister Zoran Stavreski said Friday after a joint meeting.

According to Stavreski, EBRD expressed preparedness in 2010 to finance projects in Macedonia worth between Euro 100 and 150 million. - Several areas were considered where their financial support will be welcomed, first and foremost in infrastructure. We sought financial support for gasification projects, such as gas power station in Skopje, said Minister Stavreski.

He added that EBRD's assessments once again acknowledged that reforms in Macedonia were implemented positively and that macroeconomic policies were solid.

Speaking to reporters, Stavreski informed that the 2010 draft-budget was submitted to the Parliament.

- The budget deficit by IMF and other international financial institutions was evaluated as being adequate considering the financial crisis. The European Commission and other relevant factors recommended budgetary funds to be granted to businesses in this crisis conditions and that's what we're doing. In the long term, there's a possibility for gradual decrease of the budget deficit, however sudden decrease could be harmful in these circumstances, because it might further deepen the recession, noted Minister Stavreski.