The celebration of the 35th anniversary of independence cost 5.53 million euros, funding source revealed

The celebrations organized for the 35th anniversary of North Macedonia’s independence cost around 340 million denars, or 5.53 million euros. The figure was confirmed by government spokesperson Marija Miteva, INA reports.

Miteva said that most of the amount, 300 million denars, was allocated from the undistributed profit of the State Lottery for 2024. The remaining approximately 40 million denars were covered by donations from private companies.

According to the Government’s position, no funds from the state budget were directly used for this organization, so the celebrations did not financially burden citizens.

However, the source of the funds has sparked debate in the public. The opposition and critics consider that lottery money constitutes public funds, while the Government defends the argument that it was not drawn from the budget.

The spokesperson also stated that the entire organization process was transparent. She stressed that local artists and content represented around 95 percent of the program, while the performance by international star David Guetta was among its key moments.

During the media conference, State Lottery director Aleksandar Klimovski presented the decisions and legal basis on which the funds for the celebrations were secured./INA/