On 21 April 2008, the Grant Agreement on the € 7 million Dutch macro-support to Macedonia was signed. The macro-support was provided as a co-financing of the World Bank Programmatic Development Policy Loan (PDPL).

“This support is part of the long-lasting relationship between the Netherlands and Macedonia. It is a support to the reform processes this country carries out on its road to EU integration. Since 1999, the Netherlands has provided € 102 million as macro-support to Macedonia. Now the country finds itself in a very important moment, since it has graduated from a development partner country to an EU-accession partner. This requires increasing leadership from the Government and all other institutions, while donor co-ordination remains key to adequate effectuation of aid”, said the Netherlands Ambassador, H.E. Simone Filippini. “I hope for continued adequate and effective implementation of the reform agenda even in a (pre)election period”.

This grant was conditioned with the implementation of key reforms envisaged under the second PDPL in improving the investment climate and strengthening of the effectiveness of the public sector that Macedonia has successfully accomplished.

Expressing his gratitude, the Minister of Finance, H.E. Trajko Slaveski, said that the Netherlands is a very important partner for Macedonia. “We are represented at the IMF and WB through the Dutch constituency and very satisfied with the Dutch representation. The support from the Netherlands to Macedonia has been vital for the implementation of crucial reforms in the field of judiciary, labour market, business environment, health and public sector effectiveness”, said Slaveski.

Links to Macedonian media:
 http://www.a1.com.mk/vesti/default.aspx?VestID=92123
 http://www.kanal5.com.mk/ShowNews.aspx?ItemID=32234&mid=1500&tabId=1&tabindex=0
 http://www.sitel.com.mk/vesti_det.asp?ID=25661&kategorija=Економија
 http://www.utrinski.com.mk/?ItemID=06780917539ECA4BA32067EFB7AD2FF2
 http://www.dnevnik.com.mk/?ItemID=1945B14CFD5CB14ABA86C429B91462E5
 http://www.makfax.com.mk/look/novina/article.tpl?IdLanguage=10&IdPublication=2&NrArticle=109370&NrIssue=639&NrSection=10
 http://www.netpress.com.mk/vest.asp?id=28563&kategorija=2
 http://www.total.com.mk/ShowNewsAdv.aspx?ItemID=10334&mid=303&tabId=1&tabindex=0