EIB Global has signed a €70 million EU investment grant with the government of the Republic of North Macedonia to build a wastewater treatment plant in Skopje.
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Signed on World Water Day, this is the largest EU investment grant allocated to the country under the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF).
This important environmental project that will enable better living conditions for some 500 000 people is part of the European Commission’s Economic and Investment Plan and of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans.
The signing was attended by EIB Vice-President Lilyana Pavlova, Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs of the Republic of North Macedonia, Bojan MariÄić, Minister of Finance Fatmir Besimi, Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Kaja Shukova, EU Ambassador to North Macedonia David Geer and other high-ranking officials.
The project is being financed by EIB Global’s €68 million worth loan, complemented with the funds from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, the government of North Macedonia, and EU grants channelled through the WBIF.
In its preparatory phase, the project has benefitted from various technical assistance grants from the EIB, EBRD, WBIF and the French government.
Water sector is also among key priorities for EIB Global in the country. This is the second investment in this sector in less than five months, following a €50 million loan signed in November 2022 for the construction and rehabilitation of water supply, wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure, as well as emergency flood protection measures for the 80 municipalities across North Macedonia.
On average, the Bank finances €3 billion in water infrastructure every year, with a focus on water security and climate change adaptation. Around 30% of EIB water projects are carried out outside the European Union, including in some of the world’s poorest and most drought-stricken countries.
Projects financed alongside regional partners connect cities and villages to clean water and sanitation, enable flood-resistant infrastructure and encourage communities to recycle their water.
In the Western Balkans, the EIB has provided close to €750 million for water and sewage infrastructure, improving inhabitants’ access to drinking water and sanitation services. ■