Innovations and green development: are a way out for the small and medium enterprises of the Western Macedonia Region

The study aims to assess the difficulties faced by SMEs in the region of Western Macedonia during the previous five years and to highlight their possible way out through innovations and green development. For this purpose, a questionnaire was used, which was drawn up for data collection by the SMEs of the region. According to the results of the survey, the shock of the energy transition, the economic crisis and the COVID-19 virus dramatically limited and stopped the development of SMEs in Western Macedonia. the investments in innovation and green development that significantly increasing the last few years in the area are related mainly to multinational enterprises and less to the SMEs. The role of the SMEs could be mainly supporting these large energy companies through trading activities and more significantly in the primary sector to the fields of bio and 'new' cultivations, and bio and traditional products.