EIB Global, the arm of the European Investment Bank (EIB) for activities outside the European Union, has signed a €70 million EU investment grant with the government of the Republic of North Macedonia to build a wastewater treatment plant in Skopje. Signed on World Water Day, this is the largest EU investment grant allocated to the country under the Western Balkans Investment Framework (WBIF). This important environmental project that will enable better living conditions for some 500 000 people is part of the European Commission’s Economic and Investment Plan and of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans.

EU Ambassador to North Macedonia David Geer remarked, “The path towards the EU is a process of transformation, of improving lives and living standards. The investment by Team Europe in the Skopje Wastewater Treatment Plant is a practical example of exactly this. The plant will be able to safely treat and clean the wastewater generated by almost one third of the country’s population. It will contribute to the greener European future of this country.”

In its preparatory phase, the project has benefitted from various technical assistance grants from the EIB, EBRD, WBIF and the French government – a testament of the commitment of Team Europe to North Macedonia and its priority projects. Water sector is also among key priorities for EIB Global in the country. This is the second investment in this sector in less than five months, following a €50 million loan signed in November 2022 for the construction and rehabilitation of water supply, wastewater collection and treatment infrastructure, as well as emergency flood protection measures for the 80 municipalities across North Macedonia.