Ohrid, 25th March 2014 (MIA) – Ten and so capital projects will commence to be realized this summer in the Municipality of Ohrid. Total investment is in the amount of more than EUR 4 million.

This was announced by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Zoran Stavreski, at today’s visit to Ohrid, adding that cooperation with the municipality would continue in the coming period by realizing direct projects from the central government program for the coming four years.

– Through the borrowing we will extend, the Government will realize ten and so projects. On the long run, taking into account that the funds will not have to be repaid in the first several years, this will provide for the municipality to be on firm footing, so as to be able to settle its liabilities. It is our estimate that sufficient progress has been achieved in public finance management in the municipality, so as for we to provide additional funding in the amount of more than EUR 4 million, Stavreski underlined.

Expert team of the Ministry of Finance has already considered the projects and the projects have been submitted to the World Bank for their consideration. – It is a matter of capital projects, and realization of part of them will commence this summer already. These are the most essential projects for the citizens, such as water supply, sewerage, streets, roads, school renovation. All projects to be financed by the Government will be intended exactly for these needs, Stavreski went on.

As for the high level of indebtedness of the Municipality of Ohrid, Stavreski pointed out that the current financial standing was exceptionally serious and difficult, anyhow, he announced support by the Government.

– Central government insists on seeing that local authorities undertake measures and activities to help themselves. When we see they are undertaking such measures and activities, it is logical that we will help them with financial resources as well as in other ways, all that can be done as prescribed by law, Stavreski said.
He also said that according to his estimate, and on the basis of the measures undertaken by the Mayor and his team, municipal budget was restructured, i.e. activities were also undertaken so as to restructure the debt, signing contracts on rescheduling the liabilities, thus meeting one of the key requirements for the municipality to be able to use funds from the central government and credit funds from the World Bank.

He expressed his contentment with the activities undertaken at the municipal authorities as regards savings of costs on the expenditure side, reduction of expenditures related to public procurement, all in all, as he said, with the more cost-effective operations of the new local government.

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