5th May 2023, Skopje – Set of laws adopted today, related to Corridors 8 and 10d Projects, are aimed at speeding up the implementation of crucial infrastructure projects of public interest. Amendments to the Law on Expropriation are part of this set of laws, with the amendments geared towards reducing the administrative burden, which slows down the process and thus the Project implementation, and protecting the citizens and their rights.
“The procedures are thus simplified and the administrative burden for the institution, which is the project implementing agency, is reduced, while citizens’ rights are protected. However, the amendments do not provide for legalization of the illegally built constructions, which will be subject to expropriation under the Project. In particular, amendments to the Law on Expropriation are aimed at simplifying and speeding up the process of expropriation, thus directly contributing to speeding up the implementation of the Project as a whole. Due account has be been taken along the way as regards the protection of citizens’ rights”, Minister Besimi said.
The amendments, as he added, do not imply legalization of the illegally built constructions. Legalization of illegally built constructions, with requests therefore being submitted, takes place in accordance with the legal solution adopted in 2011, with adequate amendments made thereto. The respective amendments to the Law, which were adopted at today’s session, provide for the citizens who live on the property which will be subject to expropriation to be entitled to lease fee for a period of 12 + 6 months.
“These legal solutions are of interest to us all. They provide the possibility for the Project to be realized within shorter period of time with lower costs, and the citizens can feel the benefits therefrom sooner, i.e. within 5 years as envisaged in this case”, the Minister said.
Modifications and amendments to the Law on Establishing Public Interest and Nominating a Strategic Partner for Implementation of the Project are also aimed at speeding up the Project implementation, by providing for exemption from value added tax, import duties and excise duty on energy products and motor vehicle tax on import of goods by the strategic partner for the Project purposes.
These are actually amendments already applied when implementing the project for construction of Stip – Miladinovci and Kichevo – Ohrid motorways, and they are therefore no exception. The Minister also touched upon the economic benefits, emphasizing that the Government works in the interest of the citizens, the businesses and the country, with the investment funds to be injected in the domestic economy and to create 8,000 new jobs, thus contributing with 2% to the nominal gross domestic product annually.