Based on Article 58 of the Law on Balanced Regional Development (“Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia” Nos. 24/2021, 174/2021, and 241/2024), the Ministry of Local Self-Government announces
OPEN PUBLIC CALL
for financing Proposal Projects to reduce disparities between and within planning regions and to increase regional competitiveness for 2025, through separate measures and activities for balanced regional development.
SUBJECT OF THE OPEN PUBLIC CALL
The subject of this open public call is the allocation of funds to finance projects aimed at reducing disparities between and within planning regions and increasing regional competitiveness, as defined in the Budget of the Republic of North Macedonia for 2025.
The goal of this open public call is to allocate funds to those Proposal Projects whose implementation will contribute to reducing the differences in the level of development between and within the planning regions, strengthening regional competitiveness through the realization of local development potentials.
Within this open public call, projects that align with the priority measures and activities to reduce disparities between and within planning regions and to increase regional competitiveness, as identified in the regional development planning documents, will be financially supported.
Priority activities and measures for 2025 are:
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Development of modern and contemporary infrastructure in the planning regions;
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Recognition and utilization of competitive advantages in the planning regions;
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Improvement of energy efficiency in public buildings / use of renewable energy sources.
AMOUNT OF FUNDS
The total amount of funds for financing projects aimed at reducing disparities between and within planning regions and increasing regional competitiveness, according to Article 3, paragraph (1), item 1 of the Program for reducing disparities between and within planning regions and increasing regional competitiveness for 2025 (“Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia” No. 29/2025 dated 11.02.2025), is set at 87,925,000 Macedonian denars.
BENEFICIARIES OF THE FUNDS
Eligible to submit Proposal Projects for reducing disparities between and within planning regions and increasing regional competitiveness are: Centers for Development of Planning Regions, municipalities, municipalities in the City of Skopje, the City of Skopje, public enterprises and institutions founded by the state, municipalities, municipalities in the City of Skopje, and the City of Skopje, higher education and scientific institutions, and associations.
All interested beneficiaries, as drivers and bearers of necessary changes in economic, social, and other developmental activities, are invited to submit their project financing requests in accordance with the priority activities and measures of the Program for reducing disparities between and within planning regions and increasing regional competitiveness for 2025 and the purpose of this open public call.
CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION OF PROPOSAL PROJECTS
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Relevance of the Proposal Project in relation to alignment with priority measures and activities according to the Program for reducing disparities between and within planning regions and increasing regional competitiveness for 2025;
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Financial capacity of the Proposal Project submitter;
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Sustainability of the expected results of the Proposal Project;
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Impact on the local population;
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Activities needed for the realization of the Proposal Project;
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Timeline for the realization of the Proposal Project;
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Appropriateness of the indicators listed in the Proposal Project relative to its results and goals.
METHOD OF EVALUATION OF PROPOSAL PROJECTS
The manner and methodology for evaluation of Proposal Projects are carried out according to the Rulebook on the manner and methodology for evaluation of Proposal Projects (“Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia” No. 62/21).
DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL PROJECTS
Applicants must submit their proposals for financing Proposal Projects to reduce disparities between and within planning regions and increase regional competitiveness to the Ministry of Local Self-Government, Boulevard “Sv. Kiril i Metodij” No. 54, Skopje, in two original application forms (downloaded from www.mls.gov.mk) and in electronic form on a USB stick (scanned original PDF form and Word document) from the date of publication of this public call on the ministry's website.
The deadline for submitting applications for financing Proposal Projects runs throughout 2025 until the funds set out in Article 3, paragraph (1), item 1 of the Program for reducing disparities between and within planning regions and increasing regional competitiveness for 2025 are exhausted.
Evaluation of received Proposal Projects begins 15 days after the announcement of the public call and continues throughout the entire budget year, following the timeline for collecting Proposal Projects according to Articles 58 and 59 of the Law on Balanced Regional Development (“Official Gazette of the Republic of North Macedonia” Nos. 24/2021, 174/2021, and 241/2024).
MINISTER,
MSc Zlatko Perinski