Skopje, 21 May 2022 (MIA) – Capital expenditures under the budget’s revision are planned at 32.2 billion denars, down nearly 6 billion compared to the 2022 plan. Speaking at Saturday’s news conference to present the budget rebalance, Finance Minister Fatmir Besimi said that capital investments in 2022 remain at historic high – 37.8% up compared to last year. Financing from the budget will be invested in road infrastructure, alongside Corridor 8: expansion on Tetovo-Gostivar highway, construction of a new highway Trebenishta-Struga-Kjafasan, construction of the Gostivar-Bukojchani, the Rankovce-Kriva Palanka section and Kriva Palanka up to the border with Bulgaria as well as the western part of the Corridor 8 road by constructing a highway section Kichevo-Bukojchani and the sector Kichevo-Ohrid, said the Minister. Also, the Skopje-Blace section to the border with Kosovo will be constructed with loans. As part of rail infrastructure, said Besimi, the three stages of construction and rehabilitation of the eastern part of the Corridor 8 railway will be financed as well as the project on the construction of a rail to the border with Albania. A rail crossing on the border between North Macedonia and Serbia will be also built with loans from the Western Balkans Investment Framework. Furthermore, gas pipelines between Skopje and Tetovo and Hostivar and Kichevo are planned as well as interconnection gas pipelines with Kosovo, Serbia and Greece. Construction and reconstruction is planned of elementary and secondary schools, gyms in high schools, reconstruction of dorms, etc. In the sector of environment, it will be invested in the construction of a waste water treatment station in Skopje and well as solid waste treatment stations in the regions of Polog, Vardar, Pelagonija and Skopje and in the southwestern and southeastern region.