The Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Kaja Shukova together with the expert team of the Ministry had a working meeting with the Director of the Prespa-Ohrid Nature Trust (PONT) Miriam de Koning. At the meeting, Shukova emphasized the importance and benefits of establishing the Prespa-Ohrid Nature Trust in the direction of providing long-term funding for the protection, preservation, and sustainable management of biodiversity, as well as the concept of ecosystem services in the Prespa-Ohrid region and in protected areas NP Shar Mountain and NP Mavrovo, for the benefit of nature and the people living in this region.
It was confirmed by both parties that all the activities that will be financed with PONT should be correlated with the Management Plans of the protected areas as well as the National Strategy for Nature Protection (2017-2027) with an Action Plan and the National Biodiversity Strategy with Action Plan for the period 2018-2023.
PONT was established in 2015 with funds from the MAVA Foundation and the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), which works through the KfW Development Bank to support the increasing environmental needs of the Prespa-Ohrid region for the preservation of natural heritage.