Skopje, 16 July 2023 (MIA) - Prime Minister Dimitar Kovachevski said Sunday the Government's position is clear - no mines will open if citizens living in the region where the concession was given are against it. The PM said the concessions for the Ilovica mine were given by the then-government of VMRO-DPMNE in 2012 and 2013, while adding that SDSM is against opening of mines.

"SDSM has been against these mines since day one and the position is the same today, because people do not want them. At the next Government session, the Minister of Economy will present all documents starting from 2012, since there are many court decisions involved. Nevertheless, the position of the Ministry of Economy, the Ministry of Environment and myself as PM is clear - there will be no mines if people living in the area where such concessions had been given are against it. These concessions were given by VMRO-DPMNE and the mines did not open only because the SDSM-led government has worked against this," Kovachevski told reporters.

He added that besides giving concessions for the Ilovica mine in 2012 and 2013, VMRO-DPMNE also included them in the party's election programme for the 2016 elections, while VMRO-DPMNE mayors in the municipalities of Bosilovo and Novo Selo took decisions for opening of the Ilovica mine.

"These decisions by VMRO-DPMNE have resulted in court proceedings and many decisions in favor of the foreign investor that had received the concessions at the time. It is the Government's intention that any decision related to the opening of mines is in accordance with the people's expectations. Namely, if the citizens of Strumica, Novo Selo, Vasilevo and Bosilovo municipalities are against the opening of mines, then mines will not open. When SDSM spoke against these mines, VMRO-DPMNE organized protests at which they said the region needed those mines because of job openings," underlined Kovachevski.

Photo: Government of North Macedonia