Skopje, 13 April 2023 (MIA) - Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski said Thursday the agreement with US-Turkish consortium "Bechtel-Enka" on the construction of Corridors VIII and Xd is confidential "but no one is hiding anything from anyone".

PM Kovachevski told a press conference that as per procedures, certain institutions can obtain the agreement, including the Public Prosecutor's Office, once they ask for this.

He said lawmakers possess the knowledge, experience and vision to pass laws that ensure faster realization of the project, while urging the US and Turkish governments to respond if "anyone has asked anything from them or the companies from their countries related to the project over the past couple of years".

"This is an agreement as any other agreement with private companies-contractors, and as any agreement, it is confidential considering the fact that companies include their modus operandi and other aspects in the document. Of course, they do not want those business secrets to be available to the broader public. However, this does not mean that such an agreement is not available to institutions in the country, of course in line with national procedures," said Kovachevski.

The PM recalled that he had recently urged the State Commission for Prevention of Corruption and the Public Prosecutor's Office to review and investigate the case, saying that the PPO would get the agreement once they ask for it, since people with security clearances work in those institutions.

In addition, he said, I call on the U.S. and Turkish governments to say if anyone has asked anything from them or the companies from their countries related to the project over the past couple of years.

"This call comes after the opposition has branded accusations that someone wanted to make profit through these companies", noted Kovachevski.

He clarified that any agreement has a degree of confidentiality and based on that, the agreement is delivered only to those having that access.

"This is also valid for other agreements relating to contractual projects. No one is hiding anything from anyone. The state is doing things based on the laws and the Constitution", said Kovachevski.

The PM claimed that the state would not pay any penalties related to the agreement.

"The option of a 60-hour working week is possible only for such projects of strategic and national significance, resulting in less time and cost of the project. In case of a 40-hour working week, the project will last longer and we will have to pay more to the workforce coming from abroad," said Kovachevski.

According to the agreement, Bechtel-Enka should use 51 percent of the project resources from the country.

"This is a large corporation that has completed its projects in the region and beyond. They have the people and the machinery, but will also use machinery from the country," underlined Kovachevski.