SKOPJE, Feb. 1 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) will provide grants worth 270,000 euros (309,600 U.S. dollars) to 22 civil society projects in five municipalities in Macedonia, representatives of the two organizations said during the presentation of the grants here on Friday.

According to Narine Sahakyan, UNDP deputy resident representative, the grants will be provided to projects in the municipalities of Gostivar, Kavadarci, Kumanovo, Resen and Strumica.

The projects will help solve local problems related primarily to vulnerable groups, such as unemployed people or persons with disabilities.

"The three main objectives of the projects are to support municipalities in responding to the needs of the most vulnerable groups, capacity building of civil society organizations, and to facilitate cooperation between municipalities and civil society organizations," underlined Sahakyan.

In his remarks, Freek Janmaat, head of operations at the EU delegation in Skopje, said that the projects aim to bring improvements in the fields of public services, gender equality, environment and social cohesion.

"These are key issues in the EU accession process," said Janmaat.