Skopje, 19 September 2025 (MIA) — The draft version of a new rulebook on cycling infrastructure nationwide was presented Friday in Skopje at a European Mobility Week event organized by the Ministry of Transport and the environmental protection organization Go Green. 

Speaking to the press ahead of the event, organizers said the guidelines were not official yet because opinions from several intitutions were still pending. Nonetheless, they said, the rulebook was expected to be submitted to Parliament in the near future.

Deputy Minister of Transport Kaltrina Zekolli Shaqiri said this was the country's first rulebook for the planning, design, construction and maintenance of cycling infrastructure. She said this signified progress.

"Apart from professionally as deputy minister, this event is also important for me personally," she said, adding that she had lost her husband, a cyclist, in a cycling accident two years ago.

She said the new rules for building better cycling infrastructure would make bike riders safer.

Kisela Voda Mayor and VMRO-DPMNE's candidate for Skopje Mayor Orce Gjorgjievski said he fully supported this initiative of Go Green and thanked the grassroots activists for their efforts.

"I urge Members of Parliament to unanimously adopt this rulebook as soon as possible, which would be followed by the start of its implementation," Gjorgjievski said.

He said not only Skopje but also the entire country lacked enough bike lanes.

Go Green president Blazhe Josifovski welcomed the authorities' support to the EU-aligned cycling infrastructure strategy.

"This is a very positive example of how civic enthusiasm and knowledge, together with good political will, can create a successful European rulebook, which will truly help us promote cycling as a transport option in our country and at the same time make it safe," Josifovski said.

Darko Arsovski Petrovski, project coordinator at Go Green, said the activists had campaigned for the rulebook for a long time, considering the country was only one of three in Europe that had no guidance on cycling infrastructure.

"I welcome the ministry's wish to cooperate with the civil sector," Arsovski Petrovski said, adding that he was looking forward to lawmakers' adopting the guidelines. mr/