Ministry of Local Self-Government

What Ministry of Local Self-Government does

The Ministry of Local Self-Government (Министерство за локална самоуправа) is the central government authority of the Republic of North Macedonia responsible for local self-government policy, balanced regional development, and inter-municipal cooperation. Headquartered in Skopje with 65 staff, the ministry oversees all 81 municipalities of the country, organized into 8 planning regions (Pelagonia, Vardar, Southeast, East, Northeast, Skopje, Polog, Southwest). Its primary stakeholders are the municipalities themselves, which receive financial support, expert assistance, and policy guidance through the ministry's programmes. The current minister is Zlatko Perinski, with Erdzhan Selimi as Deputy Minister and Julijana Pavkovska-Bocevska as State Secretary.

The ministry administers a portfolio of funding mechanisms including the annual Programme for Reduction of Disparities (74.84 million denars in 2026), bilateral projects with Switzerland and Sweden, and IPA cross-border cooperation programmes with Serbia, Bulgaria, Albania, Greece, and Kosovo. In the past two years, it has supported 1,116 infrastructure projects worth 18.4 billion denars and currently implements 39 cross-border cooperation projects with a total value exceeding 21 million EUR for Macedonian beneficiaries. Its core service platform is the Resource Center for Municipal Development (portal.rco.gov.mk), which provides municipalities with expert database access, training, and tool development across 16 thematic areas including urban planning, environment, local economic development, public finance, and digitalization. Additional digital assets include the Open Data Portal (data.gov.mk), the e-Government Services Portal (uslugi.gov.mk), and an administrative registry of municipal coats of arms and flags.

The ministry does not generate commercial revenue; it is funded through the national budget and international donor programmes. Its operating model centers on programme administration, regulatory framework development, and capacity building for municipal governments in alignment with EU pre-accession requirements. Key implementation and financial partners include UNDP, Sida, the Government of Switzerland, the World Bank, FAO, USAID, the EU Delegation, and INOVA, alongside the national municipal association ZELS and the State Agency for Strategic Programming and Coordination of Assistance (SASPAC).

Name

Ministry of Local Self-Government

Legal name

Министерство за локална самоуправа

Website

https://mls.gov.mk

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Ministry of Local Self-Government of North Macedonia oversees local governance policy, regional development funding, and capacity-building programmes for the country's 81 municipalities across 8 planning regions.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Public Administration / Local Government Services

NAICS

Executive, Legislative, and Other General Government Support (921), International Affairs (92812), Administration of Housing Programs, Urban Planning, and Community Development (9251), Public Finance Activities (92113)

akta.pro primary industry

Mayor/City Manager & General Administration (BPAIACAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Governor/Executive Office & Cabinet Administration (BPAIABAA), State Legislature/Regional Assembly Administration (BPAIABAB)

Keywords

• Local government administration
• Regional development funding
• Municipal capacity building
• Inter-municipal cooperation
• Public administration services

Headquarters

HQ city

Skopje

HQ country

North Macedonia

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Others

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Ministry of Local Self-Government is the central government authority of the Republic of North Macedonia responsible for local self-government policy, regional development, and inter-municipal cooperation. It administers public funding programmes, operates the Resource Center for Municipal Development Support, manages IPA cross-border cooperation projects with five neighboring countries, and provides expert and institutional support to all 81 municipalities of the country.

Product overview

The Ministry of Local Self-Government operates a unified institutional web portal (mls.gov.mk) as its primary digital presence, supplemented by specialized platforms including the Resource Center for Municipal Development Support (portal.rco.gov.mk) which provides an expert database for municipalities, the Open Data Portal (data.gov.mk) for government data access, and the e-Government Services Portal (uslugi.gov.mk) for citizen services. The ministry also maintains the Register of Municipal Coats of Arms and Flags as an administrative registry. These offerings function as government service platforms rather than commercial products.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Resource Center for Municipal Development Support (Ресурсен центар за поддршка на развојот на општините)

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,116 infrastructure projects supported worth 18.4 billion denars in two years
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• INOVA - Agency for Innovations, Scientific-Technological Development and EntrepreneurshipcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2026The Ministry and INOVA agreed on joint activities to connect municipalities, youth, and the private sector in the field of innovation. Through the Resource Centre, municipalities will gain easier access to INOVA's support programmes and instruments, while INOVA will provide financial support through grant programmes for startups, innovative companies, and entrepreneurs developing practical solutions for local challenges. A 'Months of Internship' programme is also planned.
• UNDP (United Nations Development Programme)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2026UNDP is a key implementation partner for multiple ministry projects, including the 'Strengthening Municipal Capacities for Project Implementation Phase 2' (with Sida and the Embassy of Sweden), the 'Strengthening Municipal Councils Phase 2' (with Swiss Government), and various other development initiatives. UNDP supports the integration of municipal development tools into the institutional system.
• Peace Corps (Мировен корпус)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1996Peace Corps North Macedonia has been placing volunteers with local organizations since 1996. Each year around 50 US volunteers collaborate with schools, NGOs, and municipalities across three key programmes: Community Development, English Language, and Inclusive Education. The ministry facilitates hosting of Peace Corps volunteers in municipalities.
• ZELS - Association of Units of Local Self-Government (Здружение на единици на локалната самоуправа)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZELS is the national association of municipalities that collaborates with the ministry on matters of local self-government policy, inter-municipal cooperation, and municipal capacity building. It serves as a key stakeholder in consultative processes for legislative reforms.
• SASPAC (State Agency for Strategic Programming and Coordination of Assistance)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerSASPAC and the Ministry are jointly responsible for implementing the IPA III Cross-border Cooperation Programme between North Macedonia and Albania. Together they provide support for financing small cross-border initiatives called 'People for People' through the Technical Assistance of the Programme.
• FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFAO has implemented multiple international projects with the ministry covering agricultural land consolidation, food security strategy, climate-resilient agriculture, animal health systems, and disaster risk reduction in agriculture across North Macedonia.

Scale indicators7 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• SASPAC (State Agency for Strategic Programming and Coordination of Assistance): State agency that jointly implements the IPA III Cross-border Cooperation Programme with the ministry; a peer in donor coordination and programme administration rather than a direct competitor.
• ZELS - Association of Units of Local Self Government of North Macedonia: National municipal association that collaborates with the ministry on local self-government policy, inter-municipal cooperation, and legislative reform; an institutional stakeholder and operational peer within the same ecosystem.
• UNDP North Macedonia: Long-standing implementation partner for the ministry's municipal capacity-building and regional development projects (Sida-funded Phase 2, Swiss Government Strengthening Municipal Councils); an ecosystem enabler rather than a competitor.

Regional players

• Ministry of Regional Development and Public Works (Bulgaria): Bulgaria's ministry for regional development with overlapping responsibilities in regional programming, EU funds coordination, and inter-municipal support, relevant as a regional comparator for North Macedonia's Bureau for Regional Development work.

Direct peers

• Ministry of Internal Affairs and Decentralization (Albania): Albania's ministry that handles local government and decentralization policy alongside broader public administration functions; a direct functional peer for inter-municipal cooperation and EU pre-accession local governance work in the region.
• Ministry of Local Self-Government (Kosovo): Kosovo's ministry responsible for local government administration and municipal capacity building, with a similar mandate to coordinate support for municipalities and engage with EU programmes in the Western Balkans.
• Ministry of Public Administration and Local Self-Government (Serbia): Direct counterpart ministry in the neighbouring Western Balkan state that oversees local self-government policy, municipalities, and EU pre-accession capacity building. Closely comparable mandate, donor architecture, and IPA cross-border cooperation context.

Emerging players

• Bureau for Regional Development of North Macedonia: Operates under the ministry's umbrella (mls.gov.mk/mk-MK/ministerstvo/biro-za-regionalen-razvoj) to deliver regional development programming; functionally comparable implementation unit for regional disparities work.

Broad incumbents

• Ministry of Public Administration (Slovenia): Slovenia's ministry handling public administration including local self-government issues; a comparator for a more mature EU member state ministry whose mandate and tools (digitalization, e-government) align with North Macedonia's longer-term reform path.
• Ministry of Regional Development and EU Funds (Croatia): Croatia's ministry managing regional development policy and EU funds after its accession; provides a comparator for how a Western Balkan local-government ministry could evolve post-accession, with broader scope and EU structural fund management.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@ministryoflocalself-govern8786
• Facebookfacebook.com/profile.php
• Instagraminstagram.com/lokalnasamoupravamk
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ministry-of-local-self-government

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Ministry of Local Self-Government