Skopje, 2 July 2022 (MIA) – Finance Minister Fatmir Besimi, European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) Director Infrastructure Europe, Susan Goeransson, EBRD Head of North Macedonia, Andi Aranitasi, Public Enterprise for State Roads Director Ejup Rustemi and Power Plants of North Macedonia (ESM) Director General Vasko Kovachevski signed Saturday the agreements on construction of motorway section Skopje-Blace and photovoltaic power stations Oslomej 2 and Bitola. Economy Minister Kreshnik Bekteshi, Minister of Transport and Communications Blagoj Bochvarski and EU Ambassador David Geer also attended the event. “Today, we are signing two significant agreements that are of key importance for the country’s development – motorway section Skopje-Blace and photovoltaic power stations Oslomej 2 and Bitola,” said Minister Besimi. He added that the projects are important for the country’s progress, supported by North Macedonia’s trusted partners EBRD and EU, the Ministry of Finance said in a press release. EBRD and the EU are financing a new motorway section from the capital Skopje to Blace Interchange, close to the border with Kosovo. A €167.6 million loan from the EBRD to construct the motorway will be complemented by an EU grant of €20.8 million, as well as €8.8 million in funding for technical cooperation to prepare, implement and supervise the works. The latter are being provided through the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF). “This project is one example of the Bank’s work to improve both the transport and municipal infrastructure in North Macedonia. It will have a tangible impact on people’s everyday lives, as well as trade activities across the region and with the EU. We are happy to take the next step in this journey to support the Public Enterprise for State Roads by financing this vital road section together with our key partner, the European Union,” said EBRD’s Goeransson. “Through the WBIF and with the support of EBRD, we are putting the Connectivity agenda on track. A globally connected Europe is beneficial for the economy, but also for the economies and for the growth of the accession countries. Supporting the transport connectivity in the region is a major opportunity for further advancement of trade relations and for stronger regional economic development,“ said Ambassador Geer. Minister Bochvarski said the signing event was a proof of the commitment of the Government’s economic team and continued development of road infrastructure. EBRD is lending €25 million to ESM to build a 30 MW photovoltaic (PV) project consisting of 10 MW on a portion of the exhausted coal mine of thermal power plant Oslomej, and 20 MW adjacent to the thermal power plant Bitola. The EU is also supporting this development with a €5 million grant funded through WBIF. The new solar plants are an extension of the first 10 MW PV plant constructed on the exhausted coal mines in Oslomej and are evidence of ESM’s and the country’s decarbonisation pathway. Once operational, the new facilities will produce nearly 48 GWh of electricity a year – enough to power 10,000 homes and replace 44,000 tonnes of CO2 per year. The project will also support ESM’s efforts to rehabilitate the mine sites that used to supply the thermal power plants with coal. “This is a very important project for the country’s energy transition. It is a continuation of our previous work in backing the ambitious decarbonisation plans of North Macedonia by organising solar PV tenders and constructing the first-ever utility scale solar PV plant in the country. The project will help to address the need for energy security and sustainability in a competitive and affordable manner, through investments that will create high-quality jobs and new business ecosystems, while reducing air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions,” said EBRD’s Aranitasi. Minister Bekteshi said the investment would lead to new jobs, adding its realization was exceptionally important amid an energy crisis across the globe. To date, the EBRD has invested €2.3 billion in 161 projects in the economy of North Macedonia.