Brussels, 11/03/2002 (Agence Europe) - Forty-three countries and international organisations are expected in Brussels on Tuesday for the Donor Conference for Macedonia (see EUROPE of 8 March, p.14). The aim is both to show political support for Macedonia and to raise EUR 256 million for 2002. At a press conference on Monday to present the conference, the organisers did not give details, but it is known that much of the sum has already been pledged by donors and some of it has already been disbursed on programmes that are up and running. This is the case for the European Commission, in particular, whose 2002 Budget was of course adopted last December. The Commission was very reluctant to give figures, but finally told reporters on Monday that around EUR 40 million had been earmarked in the 2002 Budget for rebuilding Macedonia and that around EUR 18 millions remained from the emergency programme adopted last year, but it no more details were forthcoming about the total amount available this year, particularly in terms of macroeconomic aid. Commission sources last week talked about EUR 68 million in macroeconomic aid but without indicating how this would be split between loans and aid and between the 2001 and 2002 Budgets. The Donor Conference conclusions are expected to raise the issue of corruption and the need for Macedonia to follow the rules of good budgetary management.