In response to Telma in relation to the tender for the construction of the wastewater treatment plant in Skopje, due to which the mayor of Skopje Danela Arsovska dismissed the director of PE Water Supply and Sewerage, Zlatko Perinski, the European Investment Bank emphasizes that any attempt to revise the procurement strategy without justification in this stage, or non-compliance with applicable confidentiality principles, will cause delays in the procurement process and jeopardize the availability of funds.

“The construction of the wastewater treatment plant (WTP) in Skopje is a leading project within the Economic and Investment Plan of the European Commission and the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans.

Fully aligned with the priorities of the European Union (EU), the current regulations, and the framework for Macedonia’s EU accession, it is expected to generate a significant improvement in the environment’s quality and health benefits by providing purified water and avoiding the continuous discharge of untreated wastewater in the river Vardar.

The estimated value of the project is 136.7 million euros, financed by loans provided by the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

The EU provides a significant part of the grant, supplementing the national contribution of Macedonia.

The borrower for the loans is the Republic of Macedonia, represented by the Ministry of Finance. The EIB leads the monitoring of the project.

The project is implemented by the public enterprise for water management “Water Supply and Sewerage” – Skopje.

As the promoter of the project, Water Supply and Sewerage also acts as the Contracting Authority of the project, in terms of the EIB Procurement Guide (PG) and as agreed in the Financing Agreement. The public enterprise “Water Supply and Sewerage” handles the preparation, implementation, operation, and maintenance of the wastewater treatment systems financed by Banks.

Banks also require the promoter to ensure that the project is implemented under the Procurement Guide (PPG). This includes the promoter’s responsibility for the Project’s procurement procedures (including the composition of the Evaluation Committee that evaluates the bids) and the results of their application under the EIB Procurement Guide.

The EIB’s involvement in the procurement review procedure for the above-mentioned project is limited to verifying whether the conditions related to its financing have been met, requiring the EIB’s approval for each procurement step.

The EIB approved the procurement strategy and evaluation procedure in 2019.

Two international procurements – for works and services – are ongoing with both contracts in their final stages of bid evaluation.

EIB can confirm that from the beginning of the project, the conditions and obligations for the payment of the funds are respected.

Procurement has been carried out under the EIB procurement guide and in accordance with the approved procurement strategy.

To date, the Evaluation Committee, assisted by an experienced team of international consultants, has carried out its tasks in a dedicated manner.

It monitored the tender documentation and sought advice from the EIB when necessary.

Обидите да се ревидира стратегијата за набавки без соодветно оправдување во оваа фаза од процесот на евалуација, или неусогласеноста со важечките принципи за доверливост, може да предизвика значително одложување во процесот на набавка и на тој начин може да ја загрози достапноста на средствата.

ЕИБ со нетрпение го очекува успешното завршување на тековната евалуација на понудите и доделување на соодветните договори без никакво одлагање“.

Attempts to revise the procurement strategy without adequate justification at this stage of the evaluation process, or non-compliance with applicable confidentiality principles, may cause significant delays in the procurement process and thus may jeopardize the availability of funds.

The EIB looks forward to the successful completion of the ongoing bid evaluation and the award of the relevant contracts with no delay,” reads the statement of EIB.