Skopje, 28 July 2023 (MIA) - Every municipality across North Macedonia and those in Skopje will receive EUR 200,000 from the European Investment Bank (EIB) loan for improving water infrastructure, EUR 16 million will be equally distributed in accordance with the index for municipal development and the percentage of distribution by planning regions in period 2018-2023, while of the remaining EUR 18 million, 70 percent will be distributed according to the population number in each municipality, and 30 percent depending on the number of populated places, said Minister for Environment and Physical Planning Kaja Shukova on Friday.

Minister Shukova that this decision was made during the last Government session. The total amount of the loan for improvement of water infrastructure in municipalities is EUR 50 million and will be repaid from the Budget, and the end users of the funds are the municipalities and the City of Skopje.

"The Ministry for Environment and Physical Planning will sign a donation agreement with every municipality, and the funds will be distributed according to a previously established methodology for realization of priority investments for water supply, sewage systems, treatment plants and equipment. I believe this allocation will ensure the development of the socio-economic parameter in all municipalities, as well as the improvement of the environment and citizens' health," Shukova said.

According to her, the allocation focuses on development, because 46 municipalities are supposed to receive funds in the amount between EUR 500,000 and EUR 1 million, while 28 municipalities will receive EUR 500,000, and only 6 municipalities will receive more than EUR 1 million.

"The Ministry for Environment and Physical Planning has taken several steps to realize the loan. A project implementation unit was formed in May, two public calls were made for unit experts, a project team was created within the Ministry for implementation of the project, requests were submitted to municipalities with a list of suggested projects and documentation, followed by an initial analysis of draft-projects according to established criteria," Shukova added.

Municipalities, on the other hand, have submitted a list of 373 project proposals to the ministry, with the Skopje region submitting 67 projects, Vardar region 64, East and Southwest 50 each, Polog 46, Southwest 40, Pelagonia region 36 and Northeast 20.

Minister Shukova announced a workshop with the municipalities in order to explain the process and fill out project questionnaires, and that the project implementation unit and the consultant hired by the bank will be working on preparing the tender documents for every municipality. ssh/ik/

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