Skopje, 25 April 2023 (MIA) – If even a single denar is embezzled from Bechtel-Enka’s construction project for corridors VIII and X-d, we should be given life imprisonment, said First Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Political System and Inter-Community Relations, Artan Grubi, in his address Tuesday at the Economic Chamber of North Macedonia on the topic “Bechtel-Enka – opportunities, challenges and responsibilities”.

The Deputy PM said he doesn’t know a single politician that would permit corrupt activities in a project carried out by such companies, stating that controversy has been roused over the project exclusively for the purpose of daily politics.

Grubi said that no funds have been paid out yet, and the first funds paid for the beginning of construction will be published on the Open Finance website.

“The amendments to the Labor Relations Law, which are a part of the set of laws accelerating the realization of the project, don’t mean exploitation of workers and abuse of their rights. They’re not about 60 hours of work, but about additional hours with prior consent of the workers,” said Grubi.

According to Grubi, the Contract with Bechtel-Enka doesn’t state that penalties will be paid out, and domestic construction companies will benefit greatly during the entire construction process since 51 percent of the work will be done with domestic resources.

Apart from businessmen, the event was attended by Minister of Transport and Communications Blagoj Bochvarski, Minister of Finance Fatmir Besimi, Minister of Economy Kreshnik Bekteshi, as well as the head of the Public Enterprise for State Roads, Ejup Rustemi, and other heads of institutions related to the project.