For 46 municipalities, from 2023 to 2025, there is not a single tender for horizontal road markings

The barely visible white markings at pedestrian crossings on the roads of North Macedonia are not a случайное occurrence. According to an analysis of completed tenders by the Center for Civil Communications (CCC), this is directly linked to the way municipalities organize procurements for their marking.

According to the findings of the analysis, most municipalities have not carried out any procurement at all for horizontal road signage over the past three years. Even in cases where such procedures have taken place, clear criteria are often lacking for the quality and durability of the paint used to mark pedestrian crossings.

The analysis by the Center for Civil Communications states: “The research reveals that for more than half of the local government units, specifically for 46 out of 81, there is not a single tender for horizontal signage in the electronic system in the period from 2023 to 2025. This means that, according to the system, there has not been a single tender for marking pedestrian crossings, bicycle paths, and other road markings for three consecutive years. 560,000 residents live in these municipalities without a single tender for road marking. This practice is not limited only to small rural municipalities; it also includes densely populated municipalities of Skopje such as Aerodrom, Chair, Butel, and Saraj, where heavy traffic makes horizontal signage directly linked to the safety of pedestrians and other road users.”

However, the mere fact that a tender exists does not necessarily mean that there is quality signage on the ground. In a number of municipalities that regularly procure paint or have hired companies for marking, faded or almost invisible lines can still be seen on the roads. A review of tender documentation shows that only a few municipalities define concrete standards and precise characteristics for the paint, while in many cases the technical specification is limited only to the description “road paint,” without any measurable indicator of quality.

The analysis also stresses: “Smaller municipalities, such as Berovo, Resen, and Kriva Palanka, had a tender every year during the analyzed period, compared with municipalities with significantly larger populations and heavier traffic, which registered only once or twice in the same three years. The analysis of unit prices reveals price differences of up to 4 times. Paint was purchased at prices ranging from 132 to 296 denars per 1 kilogram, while prices for marking services with white paint and glass beads range from 281 to 802 denars per square meter.”

In addition to the pace of marking, municipalities also follow different approaches in public procurement for horizontal signage. In some places, the local public enterprise is engaged with its own equipment and only paint and consumable materials are procured. In other municipalities, a full service is requested from private companies through a single tender, including both the paint and the marking. In yet other cases, the purchase of paint and the marking service are conducted as separate procedures. This lack of standardization makes oversight more difficult and prevents a clear comparison among all municipalities.

According to the analysis, the large price differences, which cannot be justified by the technical characteristics and standards required for the paint, may be partly linked to the quantities procured.

Out of 18 municipalities and public enterprises that held a tender for procuring the service of marking pedestrian crossings and other road markings, as many as 11 municipalities (Berovo, Kriva Palanka, Delchevo, Gazi Baba, Kisela Voda, Prilep, Sopishte, Tetovo, Debar, Resen, and Gjorche Petrov) did not provide a description of the paint to be used, meaning that the term most often used was “road paint.” This implies that the contractor may use any type of paint and still be formally considered to have fulfilled the contract, without bearing responsibility for the lifespan of the lines on the road.