A domestic company will conduct thorough geological exploration of mineral raw materials at Allchar site in the vicinity of Kavadarci.

For this purpose, the company is to pay a concession fee in amount of 1.500.000 denars. The bid by the Macedonian company was the highest one out of the three submitted in a public call issued in mid November last year through which the government was inviting concessioners for mineral raw material mining.

In addition to the Macedonian company, offers were also submitted by a firm with mixed domestic and foreign capital and by a foreign company.

Speaking at a press conference on Thursday, Minister of Economy Valon Saraqini said that offers for 49 sites were submitted in the call presenting 61 sites for exploration.

20 companies, including nine foreign firms, have submitted offers for the sites. 44 million denars are expected to be collected based on a concession fee for geological exploration. Under the Law for Mineral Raw Materials, 78% are intended as a budget revenue for the municipality where the site is situated, while 22% will be set aside for the country's budget.

The call through which the government sought concessioners to explore mineral raw materials at 61 sites was the biggest thus far, according to Saraqini. "It is a measure aimed at stimulating growth in the field and of the entire economy."