Skopje, 28 April 2026 (MIA) – The final event of the EU-funded “EU for Municipalities” (EU4M) Programme will be held Tuesday at the National Opera and Ballet in Skopje. 

EU4M Municipal Excellence Labels (EUMEL) will be awarded to municipalities and planning regions for their achievements in several areas, including the management of EU-funded projects, increasing own-source revenues, financial management, cross-border cooperation, resilience, tourism development and strengthening administrative capacities.

The EU4M team announced that the event will include addresses by the European Union Ambassador, Michalis Rokas, Minister of European Affairs, Bekim Sali, Minister of Local Self-Government, Zlatko Perinski, Minister of Culture and Tourism, Zoran Ljutkov, as well as the Deputy Minister of Finance, Nikolche Jankulovski.

Over the past six years, 1,500 representatives from municipalities and planning regions have been trained through the EU-funded “EU for Municipalities” (EU4M) Programme, while 27 trainers have been (re-)certified, building long-term strengthening of institutional capacities at the local level. A national helpdesk system has been established to provide continuous support, while the program directly supported all 81 municipalities in the country, ensuring full national coverage and a positive impact. Additionally, eight EU-funded grant projects have been implemented by municipalities, delivering concrete and citizen-oriented results at the local level.

The “EU for Municipalities” Programme has also strengthened regional cooperation by supporting 11 municipalities in establishing a Destination Management Organization (DMO) in the Povardarie region, fostering ties with over six EU member states through study visits and partnerships, including Germany, France, Greece, Spain, Belgium, and Latvia.

“Significant progress has also been made in enabling participation in EU programmes, with 274 EU-funded Interreg projects involving municipalities and planning regions from North Macedonia, supported by EU4M through capacity building and practical guidance. In addition, 78 Interreg projects (Type B and C) involving national partners have been registered, reflecting considerable progress compared to two years ago, when no such projects were implemented. In addition, 88 cross-border projects with neighboring countries have been implemented, involving municipalities from North Macedonia, further strengthened through EU4M support for project development and regional cooperation,” the event announcement reads.

Photo: MIA archive