Skopje, 29 March 2023 (MIA) — Over the next three years, through April 2026, the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency and the United Nations Development Program will be funding two projects to help units of local self-government rise to their most urgent challenges, according to a news conference held Wednesday to present the "Tackling Air Pollution in Kavadarci, Gostivar, Kumanovo, Strumica and Struga" and "Building Municipal Capacities for Project Implementation" projects.

The first project aims to raise public awareness of the importance of clean air and help the municipalities of Kavadarci, Gostivar, Kumanovo, Strumica and Struga measure local air pollution, pinpoint the sources, and take steps to solve the problem.

The second project aims to help local self-government units build their capacities for implementing projects to improve the lives of people in their municipalities.

According to Minister of Local Self-Government Risto Penov, there was ample funding for municipality projects but what was lacking were "good, complete, and competitive" project proposals.

"Our experience so far is that municipalities do not have any quality projects to offer even when we have funding secured. In our process of integration into the European Union, besides aligning our laws, we should also show a capacity to implement EU funds in line with their rules," Minister Penov said. 

The first public call for municipality projects will be announced in April. Penov said proposals would need to "fit into the global agenda for sustainable, green and inclusive development" to receive funding.

Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Kaja Shukova said any help in solving the country's air pollution problem was welcome.

She added that reducing air pollution required introducing new measures and activities.

UNDP Resident Representative Armen Grigoryan said the UNDP had supported North Macedonia for more than two decades and was currently cooperating with 60 municipalities.

Using modern equipment procured by Sweden for the "Tackling Air Pollution in Kavadarci, Gostivar, Kumanovo, Strumica and Struga" project, Grigoryan said, the Shtip Goce Delchev University would conduct a study to determine the sources of air pollution in the five municipalities.

Then, he added, each of the five municipalities would receive financial help to reduce air pollution.

Bureau of Regional Development director Ramiz Rexhepi urged municipalities to ask for help in drafting their proposals.

"The Bureau of Regional Development will again be providing help to municipalities with their applications, bids, and consultations. We, the Bureau of Regional Development, have detected that municipalities do not have any big projects they could apply for," Rexhepi told the conference. mr/