Skopje, 14 February 2025 (MIA) – Minister of Local Self-Government Zlatko Perinski said around 20 application forms for 20 projects from three local self-governments have been submitted until Thursday within the second public call for grants to municipalities for the construction of infrastructure projects.

"This is good because local self-governments have to fill out application forms and sort out all the documentation in order to apply. On the first day alone, we received about 20 applications, which is really good and shows that the mayors readily responded to the second public call," Perinski said in response to a reporter's question during Friday's visit to Gazi Baba Municipality alongside Deputy Minister Erdjan Selim.

He added that the experience from the first call will now help municipalities to apply correctly and avoid problems that some of them had during the first public call. 

Perinski noted that extremely important meetings will be held in the Municipality of Gazi Baba today, aimed at improving the legislation that applies at the local and central levels. Also, he added, today would be an opportunity to talk with the creators of local policies such as the councillors and the mayor.

"Such visits are of exceptional importance to us so that we can create measures that are in the interest of citizens and local development. The Municipality of Gazi Baba is very important to us because two-thirds of its area is rural, and we strive for balanced regional development," Perinski said ahead of the meetings with the councillors and the Mayor of Gazi Baba Municipality.  

He pointed out that the Municipality of Gazi Baba is an excellent example of how to invest in rural areas, as well as in urban areas.

"We will make use of the visit to discuss the upcoming amendment to the Law on Local Self-Government. I expect a fruitful debate and I hope that in the future we will improve all legal solutions in order to create a better living environment," Perinski noted.

Gazi Baba Mayor Boban Stefkovski said the municipality has readily responded to the Government's second call for grants for municipal infrastructure projects.  

"Yesterday, we submitted 12 projects along with the complete documentation for their implementation to the Ministry of Local Self-Government. I believe that the project for grants to municipalities is particularly important for a rapid development of municipalities with a particular emphasis on regional balanced development, because it will solve the decades-old problems they have been facing," said Stefkovski. 

He added that this especially applies to the Municipality of Gazi Baba, the majority of whose territory is rural.

"I am convinced that through this project we will resolve all the problems that citizens have in terms of communal and road infrastructure," Stefkovski said. 

Photo: MIA