IMG has continued to implement a range of projects, which contributed to the overall Macedonian Government goal to access the European Union.

IMG implemented a project aimed at i) stimulating and fostering the revitalisation of SMEs and Agro-Business and ii) bring them back to an operational status within an economical environment which will offer equal opportunity of development. It was expected to rehabilitate 81 eligible enterprises, creating 281 new jobs, and to bring them back into operations within a more positive economic environment. IMG has its own monitoring and supervision team which has undertook regular Project visits. The total value of the project is €1.300.000.

IMG has established a micro-credit fund to support loca.l development in the municipalities of Strumica, Kochani and Lipkovo municipalities. This has been established in the form of a revolving fund activated through the involvement of NGOs and local associations, who play a fundamental role in securing the financial resources in favour of the target groups. The total value of the project is €100.000.

During the reporting period IMG has undertaken two “back-to-back” projects for repairing a total of 11 schools in the municipalities of Skopje, Kumanovo, Strumica, Prilep and Tetovo. This project aims to support the Government of the Republic of Macedonia in its efforts to improve the Educational level of the school system in the country. The total value of the project is €530.000.

IMG has constructed a completely new Police Station in the conflict damage village of Tearce to replace the existing facility which was damaged beyond recovery during the 2001 conflict. This project contributes to the on-going police reform and is in line with the general efforts of the Macedonian Government for the successful return of internally displaced persons (IDPs) by increasing security in the region. The Police Station has been specifically designed in consultation with IMG experts and the EU police mission (Proxima) to reflect modern trends in community policing. The value of the project €385.000.

IMG is cooperating with the Electrical Utility company in Macedonia (ESM) to continue with the reconstruction and rehabilitation of the electrical distribution network. IMG is also providing advisory services in the procurement of goods and services and in the realisation of works to ESM. Moreover, IMG monitors the procurement delivery and installation of the new equipment. The total value of the project is €640.000.

IMG is undertaking a project aimed at assisting the Macedonian Government in the administrative decentralization of the Institutional activities of the Ministry of Culture, of the Ministry of Education and Science and of the Ministry for Local and Self-Government.

The objective of the project is to assist the Government of Macedonia to implement the first phase of the decentralization process in the fields of Culture and Education. On a more practical level, this will support the inventorying, preservation and valuation of the national cultural heritage of the country, with a view to making it fully accessible to the public, and also to protect it.

So far, IMG has prepared and launched a tender for the Multimedia Education Centre in order to prepare the final design.

A Tender for the final design for the rehabilitation of the Museum of Contemporary Art is almost completed. IMG expects the technical documentation to be completed by the end of May 2006.