Skopje, 13 August 2024 (MIA) - The changes to the Law on Urban Planning are being enacted now as a result of the budget revision passed yesterday and today's approval of the Law on Financing Local Self-Government Units. We are committed to promptly distributing funds to the municipalities as promised. For the last four months of this year, we will transfer 100 million euros, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski said Tuesday evening.

He stressed that they had promised to transfer funds to municipalities annually to resolve all infrastructure issues permanently, regardless of the mayor’s party. To make these budget transfers possible, the legal amendments had to be approved.

“Therefore, to construct schools, clinics, hospitals, and multi-story parking facilities that are fully owned by the state or the municipality and financed solely with municipal or state funds, simplified procedures can be used. This will enable municipalities to efficiently develop and execute plans for these projects,” Nikoloski told Kanal 5 TV.

The reaction to the law, as he mentioned, came from just one non-governmental organization, O2 Initiative, which was able to participate in the parliamentary debate today, a first in the history of the Parliament.

“Although I presented and discussed these matters with them since the afternoon, they are pursuing other agendas. I want to question whether the urban mafia is involved, as I suggested three things they are ignoring: First, to develop a completely new urban planning law; second, to implement special laws for the municipalities experiencing the most urban chaos - Centar and Karposh, like those for Ohrid, to establish order in urban planning; and third, I informed them that while I am minister, I will not approve any residential building plans in these two problematic municipalities,” Nikoloski said.

“As the supply diminishes and demand increases, the cost of apartments may reach up to 2,000 euros per square meter. It’s reasonable to question if these activists who oppose detailed urban plans have hidden agendas to drive the price to 3,000 euros per square meter, which could lead young people to leave the country,” Nikoloski added.

Photo: print screen