New water wells in Sushica, Gorno Konjari, Katlanovo, Blace, Kozhle, Totinci and Brezica. Four asphalted streets in Rzhanichino, after sewage and stormwater networks, street lighting and pavements were built first. Two streets in Ognjanci, where the sewage system already covers about 90 percent of the village. That is part of the list of projects completed in the Municipality of Petrovec over the past year.

The list goes on: paved streets and sewage in Sredno Konjari, a new multi-purpose sports court in Dolno Konjari, asphalt in Petrovec, Katlanovo and Katlanovska Banja, a street laid with paving blocks in Gradmanci, a traffic plan and new signage for Petrovec and Rzhanichino. At the Bratstvo i Edinstvo primary school the ceiling was rebuilt and the sports hall's auxiliary rooms refurbished, and together with the Football Federation of Macedonia the football pitches in Petrovec, Rzhanichino, Dolno Konjari and Sredno Konjari were renovated.

There is also cash straight into people's hands. Pensioners on up to 23,000 denars a month got 2,500 denars each, every first-grader got 4,000 denars, people with disabilities got 20,000 denars each, and more than 230 aid packages were handed out to families in need for Easter and Ramadan Bayram. Two rubbish trucks were bought, and the asphalting of the 6,630-metre Divlje - Sredno Konjari road is in its final phase.

The list is specific, with village names and numbers, which is no small thing. But one detail sticks out: the municipality's annual review reached the public through a VMRO-DPMNE press release. The wells, the asphalt and the packages were paid for with public money, and a party is announcing the credit.

How many times have you read municipal results signed off by a party headquarters? And when asphalt and holiday packages are presented as a party achievement, are the people of Petrovec getting a service from their municipality - or a gift that someone will send the bill for at the next election?