Meet the partners: Municipality of Bitola

WATERVILL exists thanks to the diverse consortium that makes up its partnership, bringing together municipalities, universities, associations of local governments and water organisations. The “Meet the partners” series aims to present WATERVILL partners through short interviews, highlighting each organisation’s work, their role in the project and the team involved.
We continue the series, introducing this time project partner Municipality of Bitola (MOB).

CAN YOU SHARE AN INTERESTING DETAIL ABOUT YOUR MUNICIPALITY ?

Bitola is not an ordinary city, the European fantasy and style of the endless stories of the East are united here. Bitola is the city of consuls and pianos, the city of the Balkans’ first cinematographers , the Manaki Brothers, and the city of wonderful coffee on Širok Sokak.

Bitola is a city of numerous symbols that have deep meaning.
From Heraclea Lyncestis which was formed around the 5th century BC and lasted until the 6th century AD, with the arrival of the Slavic tribes to this day – in this city everyone has left messages that are deep and with a unique symbolic meaning. The overall architecture of the city has its own meaning, has its own philosophical urbanism and everything is in the domain of a deeply thought-out urban creation that is not found elsewhere in the Balkans.

It may also come from the fact that the city is a metropolis in cosmopolitanism or in the fact that the population has always lived in a great mutual understanding and respect, in spite of all the misfortunes, destructions and harm that someone else brought to it.

Maybe because at the beginning of the 20th century it was the largest city in the Balkans (after Thessaloniki) but its importance was due to the fact that it is also one of the most successful syntheses of pacifism, the understanding of many ethnic groups and of course the architectural buildings left by the entire population, achieving perfect harmony and a certain creative philanthropy that is not found even today in the centers of urban living.
Following the thousand years of existence of Bitola mostly on the objects and records embedded in the permanence of their existence – terrestrial or underground is actually following a unique and unrepeatable history that is not only world cultural heritage but urban totality that over the centuries has left deep spiritual messages for eternity and immortality revealing the light and warmth of the Mediterranean as the only vision for a humanistic, harmonious, meaningful and justified future, future of love and understanding in every respect of the reason for the existence and meaning of Man who thinks, creates, lives according to the principles of all symbols and the entire celestial alphabet called Betel, Obitel, Monastiri, Bitola ….

WHAT ABOUT YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH EU-FUNDED PROJECTS?

The Municipality of Bitola is the largest local authority in the cross-border area of North Macedonia and has extensive experience in implementing EU-funded and cross-border projects in tourism, culture, and environmental protection.

Some of these projects include initiatives such as „Emergence and Promotion of Cultural and Tourism Resources in Florina and Bitola “, „Culture and Development Programme“, „Art and Culture Beyond Walls “, „Borders Without Boundaries “, „Cineculture“, „Green Inter e-Mobility “, „Biofoss“, „Benefit“, „Smart-Cul-tour“, „Smart4You2“, and others.

In addition, the municipality has implemented projects supported by the EU, UNOPS, and USAID, including „EU4CleanAir2“, „Bitola’s Joint Action for the Inclusion of Roma“, „Europe on a Doorstep“, and „Improving Energy Efficiency and Energy Security in the Municipality of Bitola“. It has also implemented projects financed by the Open Society Foundation Western Balkans, such as „Sunny Schools“.

Currently, the municipality is implementing the project „Construction of WWTP and Rehabilitation and Upgrading of the Sewerage Network in the Municipality of Bitola“, financed by IPA funds and the Government of the Republic of North Macedonia.

WHAT DOES THE MUNICIPALITY’S WORK FOCUS ON?

The Municipality Bitola is a local self-government unit through which citizens exercise their right to local self-government, either through elected representatives or by direct participation in decision-making, in accordance with the law.

The Municipality cooperates with other municipalities in the country, the City of Skopje, local authorities abroad, and international organizations. It may become a member of international local government organizations and, to achieve mutual interests, may unite funds with other municipalities to establish shared public services and administrative bodies. Such cooperation is decided by the Council.

The Municipality is responsible for:

• Urban and rural planning, construction permits for facilities of local importance, and site and landscaping arrangements.
• Environmental and nature protection, including prevention of water, air, land, noise, and radiation pollution.
• Local economic development, including setting development priorities and supporting small and medium enterprises.
• Communal services such as water supply, wastewater and waste management, public lighting, public hygiene, local roads and infrastructure, traffic regulation, public transport, parking, markets, green areas, cemeteries, and street naming.
• Culture, through support of cultural institutions, projects, traditional values, and events.
• Sport and recreation, including development of sports activities and maintenance of sports facilities.
• Social and child care, including kindergartens, care for vulnerable groups, social risk prevention, and preschool education.
• Primary and secondary education in cooperation with the central government, including student transport, meals, and accommodation.
• Primary health care management, preventive health activities, environmental health supervision, and support for vulnerable patients.
• Regulation and supervision of memorials and monuments.
• Civil protection and disaster response, including war and natural disasters.
• Fire protection through the territorial fire brigade.
• Supervision over the performance of municipal competencies and other duties defined by law.

In the implementation of the WATERVILL project, the Municipality of Bitola, includes experts from several fields, such as: a person with many years of experience in working with EU projects, grants and funds, a public relations person, who, using the project findings, will ensure appropriate information to the public, both citizens and the expert public. On the other hand, the involvement of the head of the municipal utilities department will enable the successful detection of all problems related to the project objective and the finding of appropriate proposed solutions, and through cooperation with an expert from the public water supply enterprise, a thorough and detailed analysis of the needs and the implementation of appropriate solutions is enabled.

The involvement of an IT expert is particularly important for the implementation of innovative solutions related to IT technology, but also for the smooth use of the new systems of the Program that facilitate and accelerate the work process.

The municipality aims to modernise outdated supply systems, reduce water losses, improve public health standards, and ensure more reliable water services, especially in rural and mountainous areas. Participation in the project also enables the municipality to implement innovative technologies, strengthen policy and regulatory frameworks, promote responsible water use through public awareness campaigns, and contribute to long-term, sustainable water-management solutions while sharing good practices with other territories.