Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski laid Tuesday the cornerstone of a new sports hall in elementary school "Mancu Matak" in Krivogastani municipality.

The Government has allocated MKD 24 million (EUR 400,000) for the sports hall, which will be assigned to Krivogastani municipality once it is built.

"This hall is part of the Government's project for construction of 145 sports halls throughout the country. Forty-seven halls have been built thus far, with a total investment of about EUR 23 million, improving the conditions for doing sports and recreation of about 40,000 pupils" said PM Gruevski at the event.

He stated that another nine sports halls are currently built, while the construction of two more would begin by the year-end.

"This project, but also the ones for construction of 35 big sports halls, 50 football pitches, 100 multifunctional playgrounds and 120 tennis courts, gradually alter Macedonia's image, hoping for more sporting success in the future", stressed Gruevski. 

Krivogastani Mayor Toni Zatkoski said the Government has invested about EUR 2 million in a number of projects over the past couple of years in the reconstruction of local and regional roads, education, communal operations, housing and health.

He added the sports hall would benefit future generations, since the municipality has seen a 30-percent rise in the birth rate in recent years.