In the first 100 days of my term as Skopje mayor, we have shown that Skopje knows how and will move forward. This is just the beginning, said Skopje Mayor Orce Gjorgjievski Thursday evening at the 100-day report of his term under the motto “Building Skopje together”.
“I stand before you first and foremost as a man who took on the most difficult task – to get Skopje out of the chaos and debts that were accumulated by wasteful rule. We inherited a ruined city, institutions without order and discipline, a system that stopped working long ago. We went straight to the heart of the city’s issue, into every devastated pore that they left us. We found a city turned into a landfill, broken machines, buses locked in garages and all of this enriched with a debt of almost 300 million euros. A complete collapse without precedent. But as a team, we have gained something stronger than anything, and that is the trust of the people of Skopje. I gave myself a promise that I will never betray that trust and that we will work often and responsibly until the end,” said Gjorgjievski at the Macedonian Philharmonic Thursday evening.
The capital’s mayor pointed out that in the past 100 days, the debt has been reduced by more than 40 million euros by cutting unproductive costs and increasing revenues through financial discipline. He noted that in two months the problem of non-payment of salaries to employees in public enterprises has been resolved, and an audit and reorganization of the city administration is underway, which, according to him, should be efficient and in the service of citizens.
In the coming period, Gjogjievski announced roundabouts to the center and the launch of the first underground road, the construction of prefabricated garages, the first of which will be built at the Clinical Center, solving the problem with stray dogs, expanding the capacities of the Lajka animal shelter, construction of green areas, appropriate treatment of landfills, as well as the implementation of other projects.
In the first 100 days of his term, the mayor indicated that several key infrastructure projects have been unblocked, such as the construction of the Momin Potok interchange, the underground passageway at the Old Railway Station, the rapid bus transportation project, the construction of Ljubljanska Street, etc.
Mayor Gjorgjievski announced the construction of prefabricated barracks, the first of which will be built in the vicinity of the Clinical Center, the commissioning of the city train, which according to Gjorgjievski, represents a modern and ecological alternative for moving around the city, as well as new green areas, solving the problem of stray dogs, the construction of Amusement (Luna) Park, and the Skopje Zoo will become a leading center for education, nature protection and humane treatment of animals.
Regarding air pollution, the mayor says that it is an issue that cannot be solved overnight, but that it is the city’s duty to act. He indicated that in the past period, inspection controls of industrial capacities have been carried out, and work is also being done to solve traffic, build green corridors and treat landfills.
