Skopje, 2 June 2022 (MIA) – Ahead of the adoption of the revised budget, the Ministry of Transport and Communications has already reallocated funds and cut all previously planned unproductive costs, adding funds towards construction of capital investments, particularly in terms of the construction of gas pipelines, Minister Blagoj Bochvarski said Thursday. “In this time of energy crisis, it is extremely important for the state to focus on the construction of gas pipelines and cut all unproductive costs, which we have already done. In the budget of the Ministry of Transport and Communications, in terms of unproductive spending, we’ve made as much cuts as projected by the Ministry of Finance, and we have added funds towards construction of capital investments,” Bochvarski told reporters while overseeing the Otinja dam construction in Shtip on Thursday. He pointed out that he expects MPs to pass the budget revision as soon as possible in order to make necessary cuts and add funds where needed, so that focus can be placed on capital investments. He noted that intensive construction works are currently underway in terms of both branches of the main gas pipelines in the country. “The branch to Bitola has already been completed and final procedures are underway over several points, one of which near Negotino, which required diversion of the gas pipeline. There’s solid progress in terms of the gas pipeline to Gostivar. We’re also working on approval procedures regarding the infrastructure projects for the main gas pipeline to Gevgelija, i.e. the gas interconnector to Greece, which is extremely important in achieving even greater energy independence of the country,” said Bochvarski. He added that work is underway on the branch to Veles, which is very important, as well as feasibility studies procedures for extension of the branches from Gostivar to Kichevo and Ohrid and from Bitola to Ohrid in order to close the gasification ring across the country.