Skopje, 27 April 2024  

On the day of monetary independence, 26 April, the National Bank traditionally awarded the Annual Prize for Young Researchers in the field of macroeconomics and banking.  This year’s first prize winner is the young researcher Nikita Ristovski for his paper “Integration-Driven Economic Growth: “The Case of North Macedonia’s Integration in the European Union”. This year, the second prize was awarded to Stefan Tanevski for his paper “Monetary Policy and Asset Price Channels in the Context of Regionalization of Markets in the Countries of Former Yugoslavia”.

Within the award ceremony, young researchers met the Governor of the National Bank, as well as the Evaluation Board, comprised of the Vice Governor Ana Mitreska, Chairperson, and the members Biljana Davidovska Stojanova, Director and Gani Ramadani, Deputy Director in the Monetary Policy and Research Department.  Their contribution to research found support at the meeting. It was emphasized that in the organization of the Annual Award competition, for eighteen years now, the main objective of the National Bank is to promote young researchers and to contribute to the development of the research in the country in the field of macroeconomics and banking.  

In accordance with the current practice, the awarded papers will be presented at one of the following Research Club sessions of the National Bank, which represents a center for development of research thinking and interconnection of researchers from this field of interest. 

The commemoration of the monetary independence by awarding the Annual Prize reflects the National Bank efforts to continuously strengthen research thinking in terms of macroeconomic stability, growth and development.  The National Bank marked 32 years of monetary independence, i.e. Central Bank independence and of introducing the national currency-denar.  In this 32 years, the Central bank efforts were aimed at ensuring macroeconomic and financial stability, as foundations for economic growth and development, working on individual capacity strengthening, i.e. the advancement of human resources.  The National Bank’s efforts and results in recent years have been recognized by all relevant international organizations, thus it is perceived as a modern professional institution, with high credibility.