Municipal councilors discussed and made recommendations for overcoming the challenges related to illegally constructed buildings
01Jul2021
Within the project of the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation “Empowering Municipal Councils”, implemented by UNDP, a working meeting of the thematic working group on urbanism and spatial planning was held on June 29 in Skopje. The meeting, initiated by UNDP and ZELS, was attended by more than 20 Presidents of Municipal Councils and Chairpersons of the Commissions for Urbanism and Physical Planning.
Moderated by an expert in the field of urbanism, the working meeting highlighted the key role of local self-government in fulfilling the basic concepts of public space, but also in overcoming the challenges related to illegally constructed buildings in the territories of the municipalities.
In relation to determining the status of illegally constructed buildings, and in order to overcome the current challenges, the following recommendations were singled out from the discussion between the municipal councilors:
To have a representative from the municipality in the Commission for Inspection of the Illegally Constructed Buildings, provided by the Law on Determining the Status of the Illegally Constructed Buildings;
The new legal regulations should refer only to a certain social category of owners of illegal buildings;
Each case of an illegal building should be treated individually to avoid any possible abuse;
To strengthen the control mechanism and prevent the construction of illegal buildings;
To stimulate the establishment of communal wardens;
To inform the public and to conduct more intensive campaigns for raising awareness among citizens;
Greater competencies of the local self-governments in preparing detailed and general urban plans (DUP and GUP);
Financial incentives for professionals in the field who are employed in the municipalities;
Greater support to the municipalities and lobbying by ZELS in making important decisions by the central government that directly affect the work of local self-governments.
The Thematic Working Group on Urbanism and Physical Planning is part of the seven thematic groups of municipal councilors established within the project “Empowering Municipal Councils”.
