27 Oct 2010 / 09:23
Local economic experts have urged Macedonia's government to stop funding grandiose statues of historical figures, worth millions of euros, as the proposed 2011 state budget makes its way through parliament.
Sinisa Jakov Marusic
“It is high time we freeze the unproductive investments,” Abdulmenaf Bexheti, an economy professor at the University of South-Eastern Europe in Tetovo, told Balkan Insight.
The government submitted its 2011 draft budget of EUR 2.6 billion to the parliament on Monday. In the draft capital investments are increased from 15 to 29 per cent to help the economy stay healthy.
Although the details of the proposed budget have not been released, it is widely expected that significant portions of these funds will be directed at carrying out the controversial “Skopje 2014” revamp of downtown Skopje, which includes a number of massive statues.
Bexheti argued that new tall monuments and buildings that form part “Skopje 2014” cannot generate profits to boost Macedonia's stalled industry, and urged the state to focus on improving infrastructure and investing in the energy sector.
Vanco Uzunov, an expert in economic policies and development at Skopje State University, said that the major revamp project was not entirely a capital investment.
“It depends on what you consider to be a capital investment... constructing statues is definitely not that,” the economics professor told Balkan Insight.
The government has not denied that funds will be directed at the Skopje 2014 project, and significant funds are still needed to carry out the remaining statues and buildings included in the plan.
However, Vice Prime Minister Zoran Stavreski said recently that the government intends to focus next year on building roads and railroads, as well as energy projects.
Macedonian officials have also announced that the country will take a EUR 400 million loan from the IMF and the World Bank, money they say will be used for the planned energy and infrastructure projects.
Some citizens believe that the government should indeed turn its attention towards roads and other infrastructure projects, and away from "Skopje 2014".
“We are failing to build highways and railways to Albania and Bulgaria for more than two decades. We can leave the revamp and similar rubbish for other more carefree times,” says Jane Jovanov, a 34-year-old saleswoman.
Forty-one-year-old Dafina Trenkoska said: “Only in Macedonia the people live in poverty and the authorities throw millions on splendor.”
Julijeta Marku, an MP from the junior ruling partner the Democratic Union for Integration and member of the finance committee, also voiced her support for further infrastructure development.
“We will certainly file some amendments,” she told Balkan Insight of the draft budget. “Speaking for myself I am opting in favor of the development component, especially on improving infrastructure”.
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