Dimitrieska Kochoska for the five billion pounds: We still have no mature project to talk about interest rates

In the next 10 years the country will be able to propose mature and ready -made projects that can use the five -billion pounds that are part of the Memorandum of Cooperation signed today with the United Kingdom. The deadlines for each individual withdrawal, ie each project, will depend on the type of project. And interest rates will generally depend on the deadlines, Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrijeska Kochoska said today.

For the time being, Dimitrijeska Kochoska only knows that the projects for which Macedonia will be able to seek money are hospitals in Stip and Kicevo and the new fast railroad. As he pointed out, these are the information he currently has, but they have not yet received them in writing from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Transport Aleksandar Nikoloski.

Nowhere does he write, the minister said, that we have a mandatory withdrawal of the five billion, and the British government guarantees that Macedonia will repay them when he takes the loans. More support, according to Dimitrijeska Kochoska, has not had any government – some government to guarantee that we will repay credit.

– At this point I can say nothing more because this is what he signed today. When we have more information and details, then we will talk about more accurate numbers. Minister Nikoloski was in London to sign the Memorandum of Cooperation which includes only two important elements, that five billion euros will be available to the Macedonian government, money that can be withdrawn within ten years – said Dimitrijeska Kochoska, answering journalist questions.

He added that Nikolski should say and define what the projects are.

– He will have to sit down and talk to the Minister of Transport, to say why he is the holder of the project. It will say and define it clearly what the projects are, and then we as the Ministry of Finance, despite getting an offer from the bank, will also seek an offer from other international institutions as it requires the law. Now, at this point, I can’t talk about more details because I don’t have a mature project released on the MoF on the basis of which I will look for offers from more banks and say how much interest would be. It would be frivolous because it talks about different projects. I have information that hospitals are being discussed in Stip and Kicevo and the Fast Railway that should connect Macedonia from south to north, new route, not to have the existing one – said Dimitrijeska Kocoska.

She reiterated that when she gets the data specifically, in writing, she will be able to tell more details.

« Nowhere does it write that we have a compulsory withdrawal of the five billion and therefore I constantly emphasize » project funding, « the minister explained, noting that after the bids for projects, the lowest interest rate will be accepted.

According to Dimitrieska Kochoska, Britain now has an interest in being present in Macedonia and there is nothing controversial here.