Skopje, 6 September 2025 (MIA) - A project to subsidize 200 electric vehicles for taxi drivers as part of the commitments for a cleaner, quieter and more efficient urban transport was presented on Saturday afternoon in Skopje, with First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Izet Mexhiti and the head of the Union of Legal Taxi Drivers, Abdulla Rushiti, signing a memorandum of cooperation.

In a statement to the media, Mexhiti said the project to subsidize 200 electric vehicles for taxi drivers nationwide is a concrete and significant step towards the transformation of urban transport.

“This project is a part of our efforts to fight air pollution and improve the quality of urban life. The vehicle we are presenting today is electric, with the highest environmental standards, without harmful emissions or noise and with high energy efficiency,” Mexhiti said. 

Over several phases, the electric vehicles are set to replace the existing ones which use diesel, gasoline or natural gas.

“The average price of one electric vehicle is EUR 28,000. The total value for 200 vehicles is nearly EUR 5,6 million. The Ministry will subsidize 15 percent of the price, or around EUR 840,000. Based on our analyses, replacing the current vehicles with electric ones will result in a reduction of around 2,700 tons of CO2 annually, which is equal to planting over 120,000 trees,” Mexhiti stressed.

The Minister said the goal isn’t just to implement short-term measures, but rather to create a sustainable system to tackle pollution, through transport policies, energy, and higher environmental awareness among the citizens. 

The head of the Union of Legal Taxi Drivers, Rushiti, said the project will be beneficial for both taxi drivers and citizens.

“The biggest benefit will be felt by the citizens who will be breathing clean air. Around three to four thousand taxi drivers operate daily in Skopje, imagine the scale of pollution,” Rushiti said in a statement to the media. 

Photo: MIA