Tetovo plans €28.5m municipal complex under public-private partnership
Mayor Bilal Kasami presented a feasibility study; opponents question the PPP financing and ownership split of 15%/45%/40%.
The Municipality of Tetovo opened a public hearing today on plans to replace the current fire station with a combined administrative-commercial complex, a project estimated at €28.5 million that again sparked a heated dispute between the opposition and Mayor Bilal Kasami.
During the session, some citizens attending the hearing raised concrete objections to the feasibility study that Mayor Kasami presented.
The municipal plan foresees a large central administrative building that would house most municipal services and public enterprises currently scattered across several premises. Within the same site, where the present Fire Department stands, the design includes a new, modern facility for the Tetovo Fire Department. The total construction cost of the complex is estimated at €28.5 million.
Financing and ownership split under scrutiny
Opposition councillors and parts of the public challenged the proposed financing model. Mayor Bilal Kasami argued that a public-private partnership (PPP) is the best option for the municipality. Under the proposal, the municipality would initially hold 15% of the property, another 45% would be paid off over a period of 4 to 8 years depending on the repayment schedule negotiated with the contractor, and the remaining 40% would belong to the contractor that builds the complex.
The plan had already provoked controversy at the previous Municipal Council meeting when it was first placed on the agenda, and the public hearing held today did not resolve the disagreements. Further procedural steps will depend on follow-up decisions by the municipal authorities.
Photo: SDK.MK)
