Skopje, 19 May 2023 (MIA) - The Parliament finished on Friday the discussion on the bill amending the law on urban planning, under fast-track procedure, which is part of the bills related to the construction of Corridors 8 and 10d. Voting remains to be scheduled.

During the debate, opposition MPs once again accused of misuse of the 'EU flag' procedure, noting that the Bechtel-Enka contract was concluded based on non-existent laws, thus destroying the entire system of planning and construction in the country, and opening a door to corruption. 

Ruling majority MPs said the opposition was deceiving the public with manipulations, noting that the amendments to the law do not refer only to one project, but to all state roads, railways and main gas pipelines that will be constructed in the country in the future. According to the ruling majority, the amendments will enable projects of public and strategic interest to be implemented in a faster procedure, and will enable faster development of the economy and creation of new jobs. 

VMRO-DPMNE MP Eli Panova said that a kilometer of highway constructed in the country will cost twice as much as in neighboring countries, adding that it was an absurdity that cannot justify any action, nor can it justify the use of the 'EU flag'. 

Laws exist to protect citizens, she noted, but the laws which are now in parliamentary procedure are to protect those in power and their business interests.

SDSM MP Daniela Nikolova said it was expected that the opposition presents lies and manipulations, because their goal was to present every good thing for the country as the ruin of the country, and because it did not suit them to see strategic projects being implemented while SDSM is in power.

She mentioned a statement given by the U.S. Ambassador Aggeler in the interview with MIA that the criticisms by the opposition were unfounded and that the process in which Bechtel was involved has been fully transparent and fully above board. Nikolova also said that the law being amended was assessed as constitutional by the Constitutional Court in 2021.

Levica MP Boris Krmov pointed out that as a party they had threatened to block all Bechtel and Enka related bills and for that purpose they prepared 6,664 amendments. So far, they had only released those related to the law on labor relations, and after the ruling party saw that their intentions were serious, Krmov added, the rest of the laws ended up with a 'EU flag'.

As regards the law itself, he noted it was absolutely clear that it was not about any public interest, about any strategic interest, but about a corrupt DUI project.

After the debate on this item, the Parliament's Vice-Speaker Goran Misovski adjourned the 115th session to resume it on Monday, May 22.