Photo: Macedonia Square Gets Classical Look - Again

A large fountain which is part of the freshly revamped central square in the Macedonian capital, was unveiled this week. For 2.4 million euro, the revamp also saw the laying of white and grey cobblestones that form floral patterns on the ground.

Although it was thoroughly revamped back in 2004, the city authorities in 2013 have announced that Skopje's main Macedonia Square needs another facelift in line with the grand government revamp called Skopje 2014.

The new fountain is built just next to the existing classical-style fountain that surrounds a monumental equestrian statue of Alexander the Great, the focal point of Skopje 2014.

The plan follows a controversial suggestion from Skopje mayor Koce Trajanovski, who wanted the cobblestones removed from the square during the 2004 revamp brought back.

The project has drawn criticism on social networks. Critics say that Macedonia, a small country with a population of just 2.1 million and an unemployment rate of more than 30 per cent, should be spending its limited resources more carefully.

Drawing inspiration from the architectural styles of Classic Antiquity, the Skopje 2014 project, launched in 2010 by the ruling VMRO DPMNE party of Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski, has seen the construction of several dozen new buildings, including museums, theatres, concert halls, hotels and administrative offices, as well as façade revamps, including that of the government building, as well as large bronze and marble statues.

Recently published conversations of officials, as part of the grand illegal surveillance scandal, suggest that Gruevski, who has been in power since 2006, was the "hidden hand" behind the makeover, acting as its chief ideologist and designer.

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