Skopje city Council member Luke Galevski (VMRO-DPMNE) condemned the budget proposal made by Mayor Petre Silegov (SDSM) which cuts the funds provided to combat air pollution by half a million EUR and reduces funds for infrastructure development.

You are cutting the money for development but increasing subsidies to prop up the utility companies, which you just recently insisted are working great. This is not an investment budget, this is not a way to resolve the problems Skopje has, this is a budget to plug a few holes and buy some time. You are following the example set by the Government in undercutting capital infrastructure investment. You increase costs for furniture for your employees but cut money in necessary machines and equipment, Galeski told Silegov.

Several major infrastructure links, such as the ASNOM, Serbia, Teodosij Gologanov and February March boulevards are losing their maintenance funds, as is the Vardariste animal shelter.
Another unpopular move by Silegov was to hike the admittance price for the Skopje Zoo, on top of the funds provided from the city budget. The institution was successful in drawing help from private companies in the past, but under Silegov’s management, it’s facing issues.