Prilep, 20 November 2023 (MIA) — Skopje has been abandoned, without administration, yet two years ago VMRO-DPMNE was promising it would be the most European city, that the city would have a mother who would improve Skopje together with them [...] that Skopje would have modern roads, free bus transit, electric buses, bridges. If you come to Skopje, you will see nothing of the sort, Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski said Monday while answering reporters' questions in Prilep.

Prime Minister Kovachevski said the government did not show favoritism toward municipalities regardless of their mayors' political orientation.

Speaking about financing projects in Prilep, he said the Ministry of Labor and Social Policy had sufficient funding for the construction and reconstruction of preschool centers nationwide, with 70 already built. Prilep, however, should submit complete documentation before funding is approved for any project, he stressed.

"As a government, we have shown that we do not play favorites between cities, no matter the political party their mayor or council belongs to," Kovachevski said.

He said he had attended the openings of renovated preschool centers and social housing buildings in Gjorche Petrov, Butel, Gevgelija, Strumica, and Probishtip, "which means that there is no subjectivity in relation to the objects being financed," he pointed out.

Speaking about Skopje, he said the current mayor did not fulfill her campaign promises given two years ago.

He said the central government was trying to renovate the Universal Hall, but the City of Skopje was unwilling to cooperate.

"Skopje is an abandoned city, a city without administration," Kovachevski said.

"What is happening in Skopje deeply saddens me," he said, adding that the government had offered help in several large infrastructure projects but the Skopje City councilors from the ranks of VMRO-DPMNE refused to cooperate.

"What remains is for SDSM and the coalition's presidential candidate to win the next election, and the European coalition to win the parliamentary elections so we enter the EU in 2030," the prime minister said.

The difference between them and their political opponents was obvious to the public, he said.

"Citizens have seen a big nothing in the municipalities [led by VMRO-DPMNE mayors] for two years," Kovachevski said, adding that cities led by SDSM mayors would be making progress in all spheres. mr/