<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">SKOPJE, 4 September, 2014 – Today, the Centre for Civil Communications published the </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Index of Rationality No.11</span></strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;"> developed for a new group of products (electricity and tetanus vaccines) and services (street resurfacing, engaging machinery for demolition of illegally constructed buildings and hiring labor force for demolition of illegally constructed buildings). </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">Greatest differences in price were observed in terms of engaging machinery for </span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">demolition of illegally constructed buildings (8-ton crane truck), whereas the smallest differences in price were observed in terms of procurement of services for street resurfacing</span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">In summary, the Index of Rationality provides the following findings and conclusions: </span></p>
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm;" type="disc">
<li><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">electricity</span></strong><span style="text-indent: -17.85pt; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> was purchased at prices ranging from 3.46 to 6.25 MKD per KWh, where the highest price is by 81% higher than the lowest price;</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -17.85pt; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">health institutions purchased <strong>tetanus vaccines</strong> in dosage of 0.5 ml at prices ranging from 37.14 to 74.87 MKD, where the highest price is by 102% higher than the lowest price</span><span style="text-indent: -17.85pt; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">;</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -17.85pt; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">prices paid by municipalities for <strong>street resurfacing</strong> range from </span><span style="text-indent: -17.85pt; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">757 to 1,239 MKD per m<sup>2</sup></span><span style="text-indent: -17.85pt; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">, which means that the highest price is by 64% </span><span style="text-indent: -17.85pt; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">higher than the lowest price</span><span style="text-indent: -17.85pt; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">;</span></li>
<li><span style="text-indent: -17.85pt; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">prices paid by municipalities for <strong>engaging machinery for demolition of illegally constructed buildings</strong> (8-ton crane truck</span><span style="text-indent: -17.85pt; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">) </span><span style="text-indent: -17.85pt; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">range from </span><span style="text-indent: -17.85pt; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">2,588 to 7,678 MKD per hour, </span><span style="text-indent: -17.85pt; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">which means that the highest price paid for this service is 2 times higher than the lowest price; and</span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">prices paid by      municipalities for <strong>hiring labor      force for demolition of illegally constructed buildings</strong> range from </span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">177 to 512 MKD per hour, </span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">which means that      the highest price is by </span><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial; mso-fareast-language: EN-GB;">189%      higher than the lowest price.<em> </em></span></li>
</ul>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="text-align: justify; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">This Report is available <a href="images/stories/i11e.pdf">here</a>. </span><span style="text-align: justify; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">For more information, please contact the Centre for Civil Communications on tel. (02) 3213-513 or by e-mail: </span><a href="mailto:center@ccc.org.mk" style="text-align: justify; line-height: 1.3em;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">center@ccc.org.mk</span></a><span style="text-align: justify; line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><strong><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: #17365d; mso-themecolor: text2; mso-themeshade: 191;">NOTE TO THE EDITORS:</span></strong></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">USAID Civil Society Project is implemented by the Foundation Open Society – Macedonia (FOSM) in partnership with the Centre for Civil Communications, the Youth Educational Forum, Reactor – Research in Action, and Forum – Centre for Strategic Research and Documentation. </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;"><span style="line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">The American people, through USAID, have invested over $500 million in Macedonia since 1993. USAID works with the people of Macedonia to create jobs, strengthen democratic institutions and practices, enhance integrated education, and prepare students for the workforce. These initiatives improve the quality of life and support Macedonia’s transition to a stable and prosperous democracy. USAID provides economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 100 countries. For more information please visit </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.usaid.gov/where-we-work/europe-and-eurasia/macedonia" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: windowtext;">USAID Macedonia Website</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> and </span><span style="line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/USAIDMacedonia" target="_blank"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; color: windowtext;">USAID Macedonia Facebook</span></a></span><span style="line-height: 1.3em; text-decoration: underline;"><span style="font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: &quot;Calibri&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA;"> </span></span><span style="line-height: 1.3em; font-size: 11pt; font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;">page</span></p>