2nd March 2020, Skopje – Seventy million euros will be allocated to all 80 municipalities for construction and rehabilitation of local roads and streets, as well as other road infrastructure, in local government units. Through this direct support, the Government will provide for all municipalities to get the opportunity to receive from EUR 500,000 to EUR 2 million, depending on the project they will apply with.
This was pointed out at the signing ceremony of the Memorandum of Cooperation with all municipalities and the City of Skopje, attended by the Mayors and representatives of the municipalities and the City of Skopje, the Executive Director of the Association of Local Government Units, Dusica Perisik, as well as the implementing agency represented by the Minister of Transport and Communications, Goran Sugarevski, the Minister of Finance, Nina Angelovska, the Prime Minister, Oliver Spasovski, and the Deputy Prime Minister in charge of Economic Affairs, Mila Carovska.
At his address, Prime Minister Spasovski pointed out that this event marked the launching of a process of extensive construction and revitalization of local road infrastructure throughout the country.
“This Government has demonstrated strong commitment to provide an equal regional development and equal opportunities for quality life for all our citizens, regardless of whether they live in a city, a village or a small settlement. That is why we have initiated this ”Local Roads Connectivity Project”, and the very fact that the World Bank has extended EUR 70 million loan speaks in favour of its justification and necessity. In the past two and a half years, the Government demonstrated its care for the citizens, also showing strong commitment to support the local community”, Prime Minister Spasovski pointed out.
At his address, President of the Government Spasovski said that the Republic of North Macedonia was a small country in geographical terms, the infrastructure being a precondition for fast communication and cooperation among the citizens.
“Times of styropor facades and meaningless constructions is behind us. The Government has rearranged the priorities, providing for increased mobility of the citizens through this Project by reconstructing the existing and constructing new local roads, improved road security by rehabilitating the blackspots, placing horizontal and vertical signalization, lighting, etc. In addition, this Project envisages broader social responsibility, such as training of female transporters, re-qualification in terms of work activities related to transportation, etc.”, Prime Minister Spasovski pointed out.
Vice Prime Minister in charge of Economic Affairs, Mila Carovska, underlined that in the past period, the Government demonstrated will and commitment to equal regional development in the country, thus providing for better living conditions for all citizens in the Republic of North Macedonia.
“We have demonstrated that as a Government we build according to a plan, thus contributing to better connectivity between all settlements, as well as connectivity with the key corridors linking the country with the broader region. Quality infrastructure is very important for the economic growth and development, as well as one of the key requirements for both the businesses and the citizens. One of these processes includes building new and rehabilitating the existing infrastructure, especially in those parts of the country which were forgotten and neglected for years. I am confident that this Project will be a success story which will improve the quality of life of all citizens, Vice Prime Minister Carovska said.
Minister of Transport and Communications, Goran Sugarevski, said that the Project envisaged construction and rehabilitation of 450 km local roads and streets in the municipalities.
“The amount of funds allocated is different for each municipality and is determined according to a methodology agreed together with the World Bank. Size of the population, the number of settlements, the area of the municipality and the number of registered vehicles are considered as criteria. On the basis of such methodology, each municipality is allocated from EUR 500,000 to EUR 2 million, depending on the criteria mentioned”, Minister Sugareski said.
He also added that the Project would place a special focus on strengthening the capacities of the local administration, as well as the social responsibility through temporary employment, trainings and requalification for women.
Each denar invested in infrastructure multiplies fourfold in the economy, Minister Angelovska pointed out, underlining that better roads meant growth of the transport, the trade, the tourism, but above all, better services for all citizens in the country.
Through the “Municipal Services Improvement Project” which the Ministry of Finance implements with the support from the World Bank, we have provided project documentation to the municipalities for construction of 3km local roads by municipality. The project documentation is financed with grant funds in the amount of EUR 1.1 million through MSIP, ensuring documentation for 78 municipalities, i.e. for all municipalities having requested it. Project documentation for more than half of the municipalities, i.e. for 45 municipalities, has been prepared so far, and project documentation will be delivered to all municipalities by the end of March”, Angelovska said.
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