Shtip, 7 October 2021 (MIA) – The time has come for major projects for the municipalities, we’ve proven in the past four years that the government cares for the municipalities, SDSM leader Zoran Zaev said Thursday in Shtip at a rally held to promote the ruling party’s candidate for Shtip mayor, Sashko Nikolov. Thousands of projects will be implemented in Shtip and the east in the next term, he pledged. Zaev said that over 7,000 projects have been realizes so far, including construction of kindergartens, schools, police stations, healthcare institutions, culture centers, etc. “The commitment of the central government is a guarantee for local projects. The government is the engine behind local development and the municipalities are the train car,” he stated. We, the SDSM leader said, are strongly committed to enhanced development and I assure you, the time has come for bigger capital projects in the municipalities because in the next four years will be invested in accelerated local economic development, for European life for everyone, here, at home, in your municipality. Addressing the rally in Shtip, Nikolov, who is seeking re-election, said projects launched by his predecessor, the current transport minister Blagoj Bochvarski, will be completed, including the Otinja river dam. He pledged he would solve the problem with drinking water in the city in eastern part of the country and with traffic congestion all the while focusing on introducing energy efficiency. “An urban plan has been adopted for the first time since 1968 and according to the plan, Shtip will be developed as it should in the future,” Nikolov said. In addition to Shtip, SDSM as part of its The Best for My Municipality campaign today held rallies in Karbinci, Radovish and Negotino.