Skopje, 11 November 2024 (MIA) - The Government is already working on constructing cogeneration power plants to provide heating to several locations, in order to reduce air pollution in Skopje and other cities in the country, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski told journalists on Tuesday in response to accusations from the opposition that the Government is doing nothing to deal with air pollution.

PM Mickoski said that the opposition's messages are shocking because "they did nothing for seven years, if they had started to work on something, maybe this wouldn’t have happened, or maybe things would have been different." He noted that they are intensely working on reducing air pollution, and that the burning of wood, oil, old wooden wardrobes and other things are the largest contributing factors, or 60 percent, for air pollution.

The Government is searching for partners for the construction of cogeneration power plants.

"We are searching for partners, who based on market conditions, and not privileges, like previous strategic investments, along with the Government will invest in a heating system for our homes, which will be a result of burning natural gas, that is, cogeneration power plants that produce electricity and gas. We are planning on building a few of them because we believe we can reduce pollution by at least 60 percent, and we are starting to develop that," Mickoski explained.

He added that the effects of the investment will be felt in three to four years.

"But, this is the only way we can react quickly and do something to improve air quality. There is no other way, not through magic or miracles, if we start working on and developing this today, as we already have, we can expect results in three to four years. Unfortunately, the past seven years were wasted," Mickoski stated. ssh/ba/

MIA file photo