The support provided by the Council of Europe Development Bank to Macedonia exceeds EUR 110 million, which is currently realized through four projects in the field of education and health, as well as through construction of social flats and reconstruction of prisons.
 
Bank representatives asses that Macedonia is an excellent partner for cooperation, and as its Governor Raphael Alomar said following Monday’s meeting with the Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance Zoran Stavreski, they plan to increase the number of projects in the country.
 
Last Friday, Project for Job Creation in Small- and Medium-Sized Enterprises was approved worth EUR four million, and project amounting to EUR 30 million in the field of education was also supported last month.
 
– CEB has supported Macedonia for more than a decade, mainly as regards the social dimensions of economic development. We have long-term cooperation with the Bank, which currently exceeds EUR 110 million. It is a matter of large portfolio and huge support the Bank provides to the Republic of Macedonia, Stavreski said following the meeting with Alomar.
 
Macedonia’s cooperation with CEB has been exceptionally good since 1997, when it became its member. Such practice will continue, Governor Alomar said.
 
– So far, we have approved projects to the country in the total amount of EUR 200 million, however we stand ready to increase their number taking into account that their implementation is in line with our social target, Alomar pointed out.
 
Interest rate of 1.7% and 3-year grace period are some of the conditions as regards the support CEB provides to Macedonia.
 
– When you take loans from CEB, you obtain the best possible conditions. Amount of the interest rate is technical issue, to which it is difficult to reply since it is constantly changing, Governor said.
 
The Project for Rehabilitation of Health Provider Institutions in the Republic of the Macedonia, being realized with CEB support covers reconstruction of over 20 health provider institutions in the first phase, and we will continue with the next, second phase. Thereby, it is expected to exceed EUR 100 million and to cover 45 public health provider institutions with partial or full reconstruction and construction of new facilities. Project for Housing of Vulnerable Groups worth EUR 25 million and the same amount of support provided by the country envisages construction of flats for socially vulnerable categories of citizens.
 
CEB also participates in reconstructing the prisons, Project worth around EUR 50 million, as well as in constructing schools and sports halls, which is implemented mainly in secondary schools for the time being. Vice Prime Minister Stavreski said that there are also ongoing negotiations for a Project amounting to at least EUR 30 million related to construction of primary schools, as well as new sports halls, where necessary.(MIA)
