Republic of Macedonia will be extended around US$ 50 million from the World Bank this year as well, however, transfer of knowledge contributing to improving capacities of the institutions in the country and designing reforms is of even greater significance and essence.
 
This was pointed out by Vice Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, Zoran Stavreski, after the meeting with WB Managing Director, Ms. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, at Government’s Building.
 
He underlined that part of the funds will be extended as budget support, for the Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility Program, as well as support for realization of project in the energy sector, second phase of the Real Estate Cadastre and Registration Project with the Property and Legal Affairs Office, and other investment projects.
 
– What remains to be agreed is part of the future projects, corresponding to Government’s agenda and the need to strengthen competitiveness of the economy and improve performances of the Macedonian economy, Vice Prime Minister Satvreski said.
 
With World Bank support, as he stressed, Conditional Cash Transfers Project will commence this year, envisaging financial support in the amount of Denar 1,000 per month for poor families and beneficiaries of social assistance, provided that they regularly send their children to school.
 
Ms. Okonjo-Iweala pointed out that she was very pleased with the progress Macedonia had achieved in the past 10 years, adding that World Bank will provide support to the country, aimed at building advanced infrastructure, improving human capacities, regional integration and opening markets, as well as EU accession underpinned with experience and knowledge.
 
– Macedonia is the top reformer. Doing Business report ranked the country as 38th in the world and the best on the whole Balkans. Significant progress has also been achieved as regards provision of property rights, by developing a cadastre system being a model cadastre in the region, Ms. Okonjo-Iweala said.
 
She expressed her contentment from the progress made by the Agency for Real Estate Cadastre, saying she would like to invite the Macedonia time to transfer its experience in other countries. As she said, improvement of the satiation of Roma population is satisfactory, in particular the larger inclusion of Roma children in the educational system.
 
According to her, job creation is one of the key instruments to reduce poverty, which is one of the main problems in the region.
 
– Our program focuses on haw to create an enabling environment to reduce poverty, leading to job creation. Therefore, we support such growth, while IFC, member of World Bank Group operating on the private sector, has an instrument providing support to small- and medium-sized enterprises, this ensuring funds for starting up business, Okonjo-Iweala underlined.
 
At today’s meeting, as it was pointed out, issues as regards reforms in the education, improvement of business climate and reduction of unemployment and poverty, were discussed, as well as all aspects of the reform agenda of the Government for the coming three-year period and on the longer run. Following topics were also discussed: implementation of several projects, which will support economic development of the country, as well as realization of certain projects, and implementation of important structural reforms to contribute to competitiveness as a whole.
 
Cooperation between the World Bank and the Republic of Macedonia lasts for two decades, and during this period, the country has been extended more than US$ 1 billion as loans and around US$ 190 million as grants.(MIA)
