There is no financial support system for new filters for the polluters
By going through multiple sources, Truthmeter can confirm that this promise is unfulfilled.
In its program for the snap general elections, the ruling SDSM promised, but didn’t fulfill, the following:
We shall establish a financial support system for installing filters to industrial polluters.
[Source: SDSM – For Life in Macedonia, page 227, date: December 2016]
EXPLANATION:
SDSM’s promise had a fulfillment deadline of 6 months after the formation of the Government. A careful read of this party’s election program, which places this promise under the chapter “Plan 180” (the first 180 days in office), section dedicated to the measures for advancing the environment situation, proves that.
By going through multiple sources, Truthmeter can confirm that this promise is unfulfilled. The verification process started from the Program of the Government 2017-2020.
The sole thing mentioned under the Environment section on page 49, which can be related to the promise given in the party program, is the following:
…private sector support, so it can meet the environmental protection standards; customs relief for import of new technological equipment or installation of systems for treatment of exhaust fumes or wastewater; provide funds through the budget, IPA EU aid and “soft” EBRD, EIB and World Bank loans to stimulate public-private partnerships, as well as full transparency and broad consultation in the area.
The verification went on by searching the Program of the Government for 2018. None of the keywords we entered yielded results showing that the Government has obligated to create a financial system this year that would help replace the filters of the industrial polluters.
Then, we searched the website of the Ministry of Environment, where we didn’t find a single program on the promised financial support system for replacement of the industrial polluters’ filters.
The only thing we came across that is related to pollution filters and financial support is a loan to the Jugohrom combined collective from Jegunovce provided by the Macedonian Bank for Development Promotion in the amount of around 1.5 million euros. In fact, it was a decision made by the Government in one of its last sessions which obligates the bank to approve the loan via a separate credit line, so the installation of the harmful materials filtering system that will restart some of Jugohrom’s departments can be finished.
The statement of REK Bitola’s director, Vasko Kovachevski, MA, given in July 2018, saying that he expects Government’s support for the reconstruction of REK’s electrostatic filters, only adds to the fact that a financial support system doesn’t exist yet.
At last, we reached to a high government source who confirmed that a “financial support system for installing filters to industrial polluters” hasn’t been established so far.
Given the aforesaid facts, it is safe to assess that SDSM’s promise given in its pre-election program is unfulfilled.
SOURCES:
- SDSM/website – За живот во Македонија – [Accessed on 29 November 2018]
- Government of the RM – Програма за работа на Владата 2017-2020 г. – [Accessed on 29 November 2018]
- Government of the RM – Програма за работа на Владата 2018 г. – [Accessed on 29 November 2018]
- Government of the RM – Соопштение од 104 седница на Владата – [Accessed on 29 November 2018]
- AD ELEM/website – РЕК Битола – [Accessed on 29 November 2018]
Assessed by: Teo Blazhevski
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