The recent amendments to the Law on Urban Planning are now being enacted following the budget revision passed yesterday and the approval of the Law on Financing Local Self-Government Units today. Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport, Aleksandar Nikoloski, emphasized that the government is committed to promptly distributing funds to municipalities as promised. Over the last four months of this year, 100 million euros will be transferred to local governments, Nikoloski announced on Tuesday evening.

He reiterated the government’s promise to allocate funds to municipalities annually to address all infrastructure issues, regardless of the mayor’s political affiliation. The approval of these legal amendments was necessary to facilitate these budget transfers.

“To construct schools, clinics, hospitals, and multi-story parking facilities that are fully owned by the state or municipalities and financed solely with municipal or state funds, we can now use simplified procedures. This will enable municipalities to efficiently develop and execute plans for these projects,” Nikoloski stated during an interview with Kanal 5 TV.

Nikoloski noted that the only opposition to the law came from the non-governmental organization O2 Initiative, which had the opportunity to participate in today’s parliamentary debate—an unprecedented event in the Parliament’s history.

“Despite discussing these matters with them since the afternoon, they seem to be pursuing other agendas. I want to question whether the urban mafia is involved, as they have ignored three key proposals: First, to develop a completely new urban planning law; second, to implement special laws for municipalities facing the most severe urban chaos—such as Centar and Karposh, similar to the approach taken for Ohrid; and third, while I am minister, I will not approve any residential building plans in these two problematic municipalities,” Nikoloski said.

“As supply decreases and demand increases, the cost of apartments could rise to 2,000 euros per square meter. It’s fair to ask if these activists who oppose detailed urban plans have hidden agendas to push prices to 3,000 euros per square meter, which could force young people to leave the country,” Nikoloski added.
Pphoto by MIA