Thursday, 4 December, 2025
Meta.mk

Author: Nenad Georgievski

Wild animals in North Macedonia are dying on the roads while waiting for the first green crossing

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

The Balkan lynx often crosses the road between Gostivar and Kichevo that passes through his natural habitat. The recordings made by the Macedonian Ecological Society (MES) show that this critically endangered animal is under risk on a daily basis to end up under the wheels of vehicles in an attempt to move or provide food. The cutting of the habitats of the lynx, but also of other wild animals with fast roads, is a reality for which we are having a hard time finding a solution. Most of the roads were built several decades ago, and some of them have neither viaducts nor tunnels that would provide a natural passage for animals. In the country, there is not a single green bridge built on an existing road, although this is already a regular practice not only in European countries, but also in the Balkan countries.

“The preservation of critically endangered species such as the Balkan lynx must be a priority and whenever a road is planned, special attention must be paid to ensuring their safe movement”, appeals Dime Melovski from the Macedonian Ecological Society, and he points to the the section Gostivar-Kicevo which passes through the national park “Mavrovo” right in its territory.

In recent years, the South-Eastern part of Europe has invested heavily in road infrastructure, thus catching up with the developed part of the continent, but at the same time this brings in the negative aspects of this type of development and investment. These negative aspects are the fragmentation of habitats of wild animals, which means both wildlife deaths on the roads, as well as the separation of animal populations, which are prevented from communicating, and as a result of this, there is disruption of their genetic variability. In our country, there are already projects for two pilot corridors, in the development of which the MES participates, through which the specific measures taken in case of habitat fragmentation and the need for green bridges are tested.

“Large mammals are the ones who need the green passages the most. These are animals that move through vast territories and need free passage, and most of them are among the most endangered species because their numbers are very small. Because of that, every accident on the road is a big risk for their populations and affects their numbers,” says Melovski.

However, smaller wild animals such as foxes, martens or wild cats suffer in a very large number as victims on regional roads, where vehicles drive fast and there are no protective fences like on highways. Extremely rare animals for these areas also suffer, such as the spotted skunk, a steppe animal from Central Asia, which was found to live in our areas through the two cases of killed animals documented this year.

In 2011, the Macedonian Ecological Society prepared the National environmental network – MAK – NEN, which defines the elements of the environmental network, such as the core areas, the protective belts, the line corridors, corridors with passes and similar elements. The network determined the locations where the state roads cross with the line corridors from the environmental network and where, even since the phase of designing the roads and implementation of the procedure for evaluation of the influence on the living environment, the special measures should be planned for lowering the influence of the infrastructure on the environmental corridors.

From the Public Enterprise for State Roads they say that at this moment no project for planning a new road direction has a dedicated green bridge as a crossing for wild animals, but they do not rule out that the idea might be used in the future.

“The critical sections where there are corridors of the ecological network and where other objects on the road that perform that function, such as tunnels, i.e. the natural passage over the tunnels, viaducts, bridges, crossings, underpasses etc. are placed, have been analyzed. In the future, the possibility of installing a dedicated green bridge on a road section for which a need will be determined by the experts is not excluded,” said from the Public Enterprise.

The Public Enterprise confirms that this year two pilot corridors for green infrastructure have been identified by the Macedonian Ecological Society, the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning and the consulting company DECONS-EMA within the framework of a project financed by GEF and UNEP, in which two locations are marked where there is a necessity to establish green bridges due to habitat fragmentation.

One of the locations is the area of ​​Kozhuf – Mariovo – Yakupica, which intersects with the road pass “Pletvar” on the section Gradsko – Prilep, and the second is the section Yakupica – National Park “Mavrovo”, where the road pass “Straza”, i.e. the new route of the planned highway Gostivar – Kichevo separates the dwellings. Here, the Public Enterprise point out, the effect of a green bridge can also be achieved with a tunnel solution.

“In the future, financial means should be provided for the realization of these pilot projects for green bridges within the framework of the projects for the construction of road sections”, inform from the Public Enterprise.

The Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning says that they do not have statistics on how many wild animals die on roads across the country, but that they are working on their protection and ensuring safe movement. In the new EU-IPA program, they point out, activities are planned for the improvement of ecological corridors as well as the construction of the first green bridge in our country.

“Two national reports and a handbook on ecological corridors have been prepared as part of the MAK-NEN proposal-national ecological network for the corridors Buković – Sretkovo and Buković – Kolari and Dren – Vitolishte and Kozjak (Pletvar) and Selecka Planina, and two videos on ecological corridors are recorded,” said the Ministry.

Unemployment the main problem of the youth in North Macedonia, European Commission alarms

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

Youth unemployment remains a problem that North Macedonia must work hard to solve, notes the latest Report of the EC on North Macedonia’s EU accession progress. The youth and meeting the needs of this group remainс a challenge that has to be addressed and solved. The report stresses the problems that North Macedonia has to solve, as well as the areas where the country has made progress.

Below, Portalb.mk provides an overview of what has been said about the youth in EC 2022 Report.

Special emphasis is put on youth unemployment, which remains high, at 30.9%. But the report highlights that it is constantly decreasing, yet, a lot more has to be done about it. Youth unemployment was significantly lowered after the adoption of the government’s Youth Guarantee Scheme,” says the report.

“In 2021, youth unemployment rate was cut to 34.6 %. This is mainly due to the COVID-19 crisis. The main measure addressing youth unemployment continues to be the Youth Guarantee Scheme. In 2021, more than 19 000 young people participated in the programme with 41 % successfully finding employment or training opportunities. 969 Roma people were included in the Youth Guarantee, out of which 148 were employed in the period of 4 months., the Report notes.

The European Commission’s Report says that the Government has approved an Action Plan for 2021-2022, but it stresses that the Employment Agency’s capacity should be strengthened.

“The implementation of the Youth Guarantee scheme continued successfully in the entire country. Regarding the Roma, 969 young Roma took part in,” says the Report, which notes that young Roma girls due to the unemployment remain especially vulnerable.

Due to the partial implementation of last year’s recommendations, in the next year North Macedonia should continue the implementation of the measure for activation of the youth labor market with the inclusion of women, persons with disabilities, and Roma.

“Further efforts are needed to address structural challenges, such as the lack of resources by state institutions dealing with child rights, the lack of strategic documents on child rights and functioning of the statutory body responsible for overseeing implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Consultations of young people in policymaking needs to be improved. There is a need to improve cooperation among institutions to better understand and address the challenges faced by different groups of children are facing, such as children with disabilities or children from the Roma community,” EC’s Report highlights.

Apart from the criticism, the Report also stresses the achieved advancement. It states that with the support of the political parties, the Parliament founded a new cross-party MP Youth Club.

“The EU and Western Balkans Leaders Meeting on 23 June 2022 reaffirmed the EU perspective of the partners in the region and gave impulse to intensify the cooperation and integration agenda. Particular focus was placed on the inclusion of the youth in the economy,” says the Report.

The Report mentions the working groups were formed between the governments of the Republic of North Macedonia and Bulgaria, and several cooperation documents that included the young and sports, were signed.

Macedonia continues to participate actively in the Erasmus+ program and the European Solidarity Corps.

“Under the 2021 call, overall 118 projects were awarded grants, including 22 projects in the Youth sector. It is forecasted that in 22 granted Youth projects, 615 youth participants, out of which 77 fewer opportunities participants will be involved,” the Report notes.

In the area of youth policy development, it is noted, the Agency for Youth and Sports maintains a register of youth organisations in which 80 organisations have been registered since the entry into force of this measure.

The EC’s Report was presented on the 12th of October by the European Parliament’s Foreign Policy Committee. The whole report is here.

On the other hand, on the 18th of October, the screening process continued in Brussels, and Chapter 26 “Education and Science” and Chapter 19 “Employment and Social Policy” were in focus, with a special focus on the young.

Regarding the youth policies, the Deputy Prime Minister for European Affairs and Chief Negotiator with the European Union Bojan Marichikj, stressed that the authorities continue to create youth centres for providing support to the youth in all municipalities; the law on youth participation and youth policies was adopted; and the preparation of a new Youth Strategy 2023-2027 started.

On the other hand, on the 17th of October the public debate for the preparation of the National Youth Strategy 2023-2027 began.

This Strategy will introduce the basic principles and the ground for the realization of the rights, needs and interests of the young by 2027. The Agency of Youth and Sport was tasked with the preparation of this Strategy.

North Macedonia’s Inclusion Festival reminds: People with disabilities deserve a lot more

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

The attendees at the Inclusion Festival that took place last week in Skopje, North Macedonia, couldn’t stop their tears from falling. Their tears also dropped with hilarity when after the workshop for creative expression and the workshop for communication skills for persons with or without disabilities, the young dancers and actors took to the stage.

The young dancers from the Eureka Dance Studio, the Trisomy 21 inclusive choir, and the Windmill Collective, a lot of music stars, including Igor Dzambazov, and the pianist Ema Ananievska sent a message that people with disabilities shouldn’t be looked upon as the “Boogeyman” but with empathy.

“Turn the inclusion on and let it stay turned on,” said Gere Tripkov of the Association for active inclusion and appropriate treatment of persons with disabilities Equality, which organized the festival. He stressed that they won’t stop with this event, but will be working towards being heard more.

Among the audience enjoying the ballet and music performances was the EU Ambassador to North Macedonia, David Geer. He said for Meta.mk that it was wonderful to see these young people dancing together and what they can achieve when united.

“I think that the inclusion is a challenge in many countries, but as you can see, it brings many benefits, since it unites people in the community that are trying to contribute positively with all of their skills. There are plenty of things that should be done. This way is wonderful, through individual initiatives, civil society associations and individuals. But there also has to be some action for deinstitutionalization from the government, which will contribute to these people attending schools and being present in the context. There are good achievements, but of course, more can always be done. It would be nice if experiences from other countries from the European Union could be shared,” Ambassador Geer said.

 

High school students with disabilities in North Macedonia await the new Law on Secondary Education to get educational assistants

Nikola Stojanovski, a high school pupil with Down syndrome, participated in all the performances with his friends. The joy on his face was palpable. But even though two months have passed since the start of the school year, he is attending school without an educational assistant and is waiting for the Law on secondary education in order to exercise his right.

Photo: Private archive of Nikola Stojanovski

The latest information that Meta.mk received from the Minister of Education and Science, Jeton Shaqiri is that the new Law on secondary education is underway.

“We have an initial, solid version, created with all the participants in mind and it will be sent for consideration to the government and then to Parliament for a final debate and adoption. I’m hoping that the whole process will end soon and the best legal solution will be adopted that will provide educational assistance for the pupils with disabilities both in the state and municipal secondary schools,” Shaqiri said.

Meanwhile, Denis Jankulovski, who is an Ambassador against hate speech and last year’s winner of the “European of the Year” award, considers that the law that the Ministry of Education says is in preparation, should be adopted as soon as possible.

“Before the summer, some of the parents shared information that allegedly the law will be adopted during August, but it still isn’t adopted. The way of solving the problem with educational assistants is probably one of the most difficult issues, starting from lack of people, but also a major problem will be the financing i.e. the source of financing and the amount. Apparently, it will turn out that the families will have to solve these issues on their own. Firstly, not everyone will be able to find an assistant and not everyone will be able to pay the assistant. Simply put. only they know the troubles they have,” said Jankulovski.

Regarding this issue, Ambassador Geer proposed to analyze the examples and experiences from Italy.

“The support provided by educational assistants can make a big difference. Indeed, to see the people as they develop fast and learn so they can be a part of society. The assistance can be really benefitial in enabling those people to show the best of themselves and to contribute, because they have a lot to give to us,
ambassador Geer said.

For the fifth year in a row, EU with criticism about air pollution in North Macedonia, no remarkable progress noted

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

In 2022, just like in the previous years, the European Commission (EC) in its Report on North Macedonia’s progress in the EU integration process, once again came up with criticism about air pollution in North Macedonia. In the chapter “Environment and climate change”, EU pinpointed the acceleration of the efforts to cut air pollution, both on local and national level, as the first task of the Macedonian authorities that needs extra effort.

In its report, the EU Commission stresses that the implementation of this promise is still problematic in all sectors, including the work on cutting down air pollution.

“The country needs to considerably step up ambitions regarding the green transition, notably in the context of the Green Agenda for the Western Balkans,” states the Report. 

Regarding the air quality, the Report states that in July 2021 the amendments to the law on ambient air quality were adopted. The Report also states that the 2021 Air Quality Plan for Bitola has been prepared, including the 2021 Air Pollution Reduction Program, and the preparation of four Air Quality Plans has been launched in August and October, together with 5 Cadastres of air pollutants.

„Despite the progress made, air quality remains a major concern in large cities” states the EC’s report, adding that two automatic monitoring stations for ambient air quality were set up in the municipalities of Berovo and Prilep, and the measuring instruments of several existing monitoring stations were replaced.

Gorjan Jovanovski, environmental activist and councillor from “Zelen human grad” (Green Humane City) at the City of Skopje’s Council, for Meta.mk said that the remark about air pollution in the EU Commission’s report has been present in the past 5 years, and Arijanit Xhaferi a member of Eco-Guerilla, also points to that.

“The ambient air is mentioned each time, but there isn’t any major progress. Macedonia has a lot to do, from installing a much larger network of measuring stations that will monitor the air quality and the impact the implemented measures have had, to complete acception of the solar energy both by the households, the businesses and the state institutions,” Gorjan Jovanovski said.

He adds that in the next period the government should concentrate on rigid inspections, followed by appropriate fines, especially for the businesses and industries that are polluting the air uncontrollably. Jovanovski criticized the State Environmental Inspectorate and says is almost “nonexistant”. Despite the increased inspections, what is necessary is an automatic monitoring systems and revoking the licenses of those companies that are polluting the air. Gorjan Jovanovski reminds that the air pollution is the cause of 3,000 deaths annualy.

Regarding the EC’s Report, Jovanovski thinks that it is pretty brief in the Environment section.

“I think that the activists and the civil society organizations can help the local EU Delegation in expanding that section for the next year. I don’t see that we are making real progress regarding air pollution, and which are the measures that we have made any real progress with? In my opinion, the EU should put the environment above all other remarks, as the most critical for people’s lives and health. It has to be the first and main condition for continuing the accession negotiations,” says environmental activist Gorjan Jovanovski, who claims that this is the only way for the institutions to start fighting this problem.

The civic initiative “Platform 27” has also reacted to the Environment section in the Report of the European Commission. This initiative includes the major environnmental associations and organizations from North Macedonia.

“The latest report of the European Commission registers improvements in the legislation on air quality, but serious investments are needed in all key sectors. The situation is the same regarding reaching the targets for achieving climate neutrality,” states the Platform 27th press release.

Even the Institute for European Policy – EPI published a brief analysis after the European Union’s Report was published. In the part concerning Chapter 27 – Evironment, the country has made certain progress compared to previous years of stagnation or limited progress. The remarks about the implementation remain, states EPI’s analysis. 

North Macedonia, facing extreme air pollution, does not have a state laboratory to measure it

Only several days before the European Commission’s report was published, Meta.mk informed that the Central Environmental Laboratory will not be operational during the forthcoming winter to monitor the quality of the air we shall be breathing. The Ministry of Environment’s laboratory, although established decades ago, has not yet been accredited for any method of monitoring air pollution.

Regarding air pollution, Meta.mk regularly briefed about the increased import of used cars from abroad, the operations by thermal power plants, the increased use of diesel fuel, the failure to introduce environmentals stickers for cars and a series of other topics about air quality.

Macedonia should intensify its digitalization activities, the European Commission remarks

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

Regarding digital transformation, the Republic of North Macedonia has a long way ahead. Even though the county has implemented reforms in this direction, there is still much work to be done. This is stated in EC’s latest report, for 2022, on country’s EU-accession progress. The report stresses the faults that North Macedonia will have to work on rectifiying, but also the areas where progress has been made.

Portalb.mk provides an overview of the EC Report’s remarks about the process of digitalization in North Macedonia.

The remarks on digitalization are in the third cluster group, i.e. in the 10th chapter. The report states that, in general, North Macedonia is mildly prepared in most of the areas in this group. Hence, more effort is needed, especially in the areas where limited progress has been made, such as the digital transformation.

The report states that the increase in the number of digital services that people and businesses are being offered is insignificant.

Still, the report states that last year’s reccomentadions have been partially addressed, and, consequently, the country will have to do the following:

  • Finalize and approve the long-term strategy for information and communication technology;
  • Adjust the national legislation with the European code for electronic communications;
  • Continue with the efforts to adjust the national legislation with the EU’s Directive on network safety, the safety of information systems, and 5G tool package.

The report stresses that the COVID-19 pandemic showed that the digitalization of the public services has to go hand in hand with bigger efforts for education and easier access to these technologies by the vulnerable groups, which often lack digital skills.

It is stressed that a strategy of digital skills and a referential framework for digital literacy for the whole society will have to be developed and adopted. The improvement of the digital literacy is a priority in the education strategy in order to provide for digital transformation through a single intersector approach.

“The scope of digital services available on the national e-service portal with full electronic interaction has not much increased. In general, the government’s approach to simplifying the business environment is not sufficiently systematic and consistent. An improvement in the national electronic services portal is evident. In 2021, the number of beneficiaries and services registered at the e-portal has increased, but ongoing steps will have to be undertaken. The use of an interoperability system is still going with difficulties due to the lack of communication software in many of the institutions as well as the lack of will for its complete use,” the report states.

There are still institutions that haven’t yet digitiized their registries, which is lowering the quality of administrative data. The exchange of administrative data should be expanded and simplified in order to be consistently used in the decision-making process.

According to the report, the Ministry of Information Society and Administration, which is authorized to lead the process, should strengthen its capacities for performing more effective and sustainable quality control.

“The Ministry of Information Society and Administration must strengthen its capacities for digital transformation promotion. The concern about the independence of the electronic communication regulator is still present. The Law on electronic communications should be adjusted to the EU’s acquis. The regulatory body approved the sub-legal acts for implementation of the amendments in the Law on electronic communications. They predict new authorizations for the regulator regarding the issuing of previous security approval for the installation of 5G equipment on part of the telecommunication operators” stresses the report.

The report also states that the Draft-law for network and information systems security still isn’t yet adopted.

“North Macedonia still hasn’t adjusted its national legislation with the EU’s regulation on electronic identification and confidential services for electronic transactions in the internal market (eIDAS regulation). Regarding digital transformation, the long-term strategy for information-communication technology  (2021-2026) still hasn’t been adopted “, states the report.

A bigger effort and better cooperation between institutions are needed for the modernization and digitalization of the public sector. The quality of data in the population’s registry should be improved and continuously confirmed with other registries.

According to the report, additional adjustments with EU’s acquis dating from 2019 is necessary for the use of digital tools.

“During the reporting period, North Macedonia continued successfully to participate in the Western Balkan Digital Agenda and completely implement the Regional roaming agreement. The implementation of the national operational Internet plan 2019-2023 was postponed again.   The implementation of the national strategy for cyber security 2018-2022 was accelerated and the country officially introduced the European emergency number 112,” states the report.

However, communication between emergency services still isn’t appropriate and human resources are insufficient.

The report states that the Council for Judiciary digitalization has intensified the operations for the implementation of the IT strategy. Five pilot courts received IT equipment provided by foreign donators. The draft of additional IT personnel depends on securing working conditions that are competitive with those in the private sector.

According to the report, the digitalization of the economy is progressing, but the competitiveness of domestic businesses can be improved through a wider selection of public electronic services.

“Regarding the e-trade, the National Bank announced the 61% rise of online transactions made by people in the first half of 2021. Regarding statistical performances and digital competition, collecting data on basis of indicators of the economic index and digital society (DESI) is deemed as available and totally adjusted up to 87%, states the report.

The report concludes that the continuous assistance by the EU has promoted the country’s digital transformation, introducing almost 70 out of the first completely automated electronic public services for the people and businesses, and continues to support the reforms in the rule of law, public administration and public finances. Next year, the country should accelerate the reforms in the area of digital links.

The European Commission’s report about North Macedonia’s EU accession progress was presented on the 12th of October to the European Parliament Committee on Foreign Affairs.

North Macedonia’s institutions had been saving electricity in September, but not all of them managed to cut consumption by 15%

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

The state institutions of North Macedonia in September managed to save electricity by 20% compared to the same month of the last year. However, not all state institutions, public enterprises and municipalities has seriously understood the need to save electricity and the plan “Saving electricity for safer winter,” although the government in August warned there will be sanctions for those managing the institutions. The sanctions are promulgated in a special Decision of the government.

The data that was published on Tuesday by the Minister of Economy Kreshnik Bekteshi provide a glimpse into how in September 2022 had been spent by the ministries, their regional offices, the government, the courts, the parliament as well as the Cabinet of the President of North Macedonia, but also the state power and power distribution companies, ELEM and MEPSO.

The Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning has put the most effort into saving electricity, and it cut the consumption to 75% of what was consumed in September 2021. Contrary to this, the Ministry of Local Self-government had an electricity bill in September 2022 which was 79% bigger compared to the same month in 2021.

The obligation to cut the electricity comsumption by at least 15% during September this yeas wasn’t met by the Ministry of Defence also, which was able to save only 6% compared to the last year. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was able to save 8%; the Ministry of Health 9%; MEPSO and the Ministry of Interior saved 10%; the Ministry of Education and Science 11%, and the Ministry of Justice saved 12%.

“I want to appeal to everyone that the situation in the energy sector, not only in Macedonia but throughout Europe, is not a joke. Every degree lower for heating, means saving around 5% of the energy. The heating season has started and all of us will have to focus and find ways to do this in the forthcoming period. One small change in everyday habits can make a big difference in the management of the energy crisis,” Minister Bekteshi said.

He pinpointed that the Government itself during September 2022, compared to September 2021, was able to cut the consumption by 27%. Major energy savings by the ministries are the one by the Ministry of Transport and Communications, which was able to save 43%, and ELEM, 41%. The Parliament was able to save 29% in September this year compared to September 2021, while the courts were able to save 35% in September 2022 compared to September 2022. The cabinet of the President was able to save 17% compared to September 2021.

Buying Russian gas through a Bulgarian gas pipeline – so far the best solution for the tepid radiators in Skopje

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

So far, the Government of North Macedonia doesn’t have any stable option for buying gas for the central heating system in the capital Skopje, apart from purchasing gas from the Russian state company Gazprom through the gas pipeline from Bulgaria to Kumanovo. But, seeing what happened at the end of the last heating season and taking into account the unpredictability of the Russian energy policies, even that option is far from certain.

As informed sources say, the heating plants in Skopje during October have been using Russian gas from Gazprom, purchased through Makpetrol, to provide heating for around 60 000 homes in the capital of North Macedonia. Makpetrol offered to secure natural gas for the heating plants in Skopje for the forthcoming period, as well.

The government says that it expects this week offers for gas deliveries from 2-3 companies that will remain unnamed. With the help of the EU and the USA, a maximum effort has been invested together with the Bulgarian authorities to increase the capacity for gas transportation through the only interconnection gas pipeline between North Macedonia and Bulgaria. This would allow the transportation of additional 150 million normal cubic on top of what the Russian Gazprom is offering.

The idea is to increase the pressure in the interconnectiot pipeline between Macedonia and Bulgaria from the current 38-40 bars to 46 bars, which would allow the transportation of additional quantities of natural gas.  As the government states, there are negotiations underway for the use of the new interconnection gas pipeline between Bulgaria and Greece, so that additional quantities of natural gas can be delivered.

Else, sources in the government said that the opposition party’s leader Hristijan Mickoski offer was to secure gas through the PGO company, registered in Switzerland, that would offer Russian gas from Gazprom.

Also, Mickoski offered a purchase of mazutl through a company from Republika Srpska – Bosnia and Herzegovina. This in practice means that the opposition’s proposals are for Macedonia to purchase gas and mazut from Russia through retailers.

Recently, Radio Free Europe in Bosnian announced that Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost completely dependent on Russian oil. Since Bosnia and Herzegovina doesn’t have its own operational refinery that produces oil derivatives, Bosnia and Herzegovina is completely dependent on import of fuels, that are completely processed from Russian oil. The majority owner of the oil refinery “Brod” in Republika Srpska is the Russian company Zarubeznyeft, but this refinery hasn’t produced any oil products in the past 3 years.

In his interview for the public broadcasting service MTV on Monday, VMRO-DPMNE’s leader, Hristijan Mickoski said that the one that divulged the names of the companies didn’t have the authorization to do so and had acted unethically. As he stressed, the company he proposed was in the “position” connected with the purchase of gas, without explaining what that meant. Mickoski also said that during a meeting with the government this company offered to deliver gas at least twice cheaper than the current price.

Also, regarding the mazut, in the interview for MTV, Mickoski stated that a meeting took place on the 9th of October at the Ministry of Economy that was also attended by the representatives of the company he proposed.

“Since I was authorized to say this publicly, the price that they offered is €40 per ton lower than the current price at the oil markets. This would mean saving at least €80 – 90 per ton compared to the price that the state is paying,” said Mickoski.

On the other hand, the government stated that the company proposed by Mickoski didn’t submit any concrete price offer either for gas or for mazut or any other energy product whatsoever.

What the VMRO-DPMNE’s party leader didn’t mention in the interview on Monday was the latest package of sanctions that the European Union imposed on Russia. With the latest sanctions, the EU member countries have agreed to impose limits on the price of Russian oil after Moscow illegally annexed 4 Ukrainian regions.

Additionally, the Western Balkans countries aren’t excluded from the ban on the import of crude oil from Russia so Serbia, which has a refinery in Panchevo, and in the future Serbia will not be able to import Russian oil through the JANAF oil pipeline that is passing through Croatia.

Russia’s dependabity when it comes to energy deliveries worsened toward the end of September this year, when a series of explosions damaged the Nord Stream – 1 gas pipeline, through which Europe was supplied with gas from Russia. After the delivery of Russian gas through Nord Stream 1 was cut, Russian President Vladimir Putin offered to continue the delivery of gas through Nord Stream – 2 which was immediately rejected by Germany, Al Jazeera reported.

Apart from the energy war that it wages with the West, in the past period, Russia decided to escalate the military aggression on Ukraine, and it decided to mobilize 300 000 military reservists and send them to the front. Russian officials on several occasions threatened that Russia will use nuclear weapons to defend itself, while simultaneously annexing the 4 occupied territories in Ukraine. Russian attacks on civilian, infrastructural and military objects in Ukraine continue almost every day, and they are unpredictable and it is a matter of time before these Russian moves can provoke a new group of sanctions from the international community on Russia.

Government sources in North Macedonia have briefed that the Economic crisis – energy headquarters has been put into use and is constantly in session. They say that they will wait for the offers for gas for Skopje’s heating plants, but also for the combined power plant TE-TO until the 20th of October. According to them, the gas price is the problem, not its delivery, stressing the decline of gas prices in the past few days.

Obviously, there will be no positive outcome out of the pompous promises made by the government toward the end of September about the cooperation between Serbia and Macedonia. On Monday, Serbia completely banned the export of gas until the end of the month, informs Voice of America – Serbia service. Previously, toward the end of September, the Macedonian government announced an agreement between Macedonia and Serbia for the delivery of gas and in turn, it would sell part of the TE-TO produced electricity to Serbia.

North Macedonia, together with Serbia and Bulgaria are completely dependent on the import of Russian gas. Macedonia has yet to start with the construction of the interconnection gas pipeline with Greece in order to diversify the sources of gas for the country. On the 1st of October, the gas inter-connector Greece – Bulgaria was put into service, with the President of the European Commission Ursula von der Leyen attending the ceremony, who stated that this infrastructural facility is of great importance in the process of freeing the EU from the dependence of Russian gas. The Azerbaijani President Ilham Alyev stated on the 30th of December that his country is ready to double the export of Azerbaijani gas to the EU by 2027, Kathimerini informs.

EU with same criticism for North Macedonia as last year: The construction works on Corridors 8 and 10d to be accelerated

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

European Commission’s criticism on the transportation sector of North Macedonia is almost identical as last year, i.e. the sector remains a problem that the government must overcome. The EC’s North Macedonia 2022 Report criticizes the same projects as the last year – the construction of the railroad line to Bulgaria, the Road Corridor 10-d from Gradsko to Prilep, the joint railroad border crossings, lack of personnel at the State Transportation Inspectorate and other inspection bodies in the transportation sector. 

Regarding the branch D of the Road Corridor 10, the criticism referred to the postponed construction works for the new express road between Gradsko and Prilep. According to the initial announcement, the complete express road was supposed to be finished by the end of this year, but a two-year delay ocurred, as new contractors for the road sections between Drenovo and Farish and between Gradsko and Drenovo had to be selected. At the moment, the construction works are underway across the whole length of the future express road, but, however, the tendering procedures for the new contractors have prolonged the deadline.

There was a significant delay in the selection of contractors for the first and second phases of the construction of the railroad track to Bulgaria, as well as a delay in the tendering procedure for the realization of the Phase 3 of the Railway Corridor 8, the section between Kriva Palanka and Deve Bair. The Macedonian authorities will have no room for making any mistakes in the forthcoming period, because the European Commission states in its Report that these delays raise worries in regard of the EU funding.

Only a few days ago, the Director of the Public Enterprise for Railway Infrastructure RNM’s Railroads, Hari Lokvenec announced that on the 29th of October, the building of the first and second phases of the railroad towards Bulgaria will officially start – i.e, he section between Kumanovo and Kriva Palanka. During the summer the Austrian company “Strabag” and the Turkish company “Gulermak” were chosen as contractors for both phases of the construction of the Railway Corridor 8.

On the 7th of October, Lokvenec informed that both companies will start construction works on the 18th of October, but he also promised there will be no more obstacles for the construction of the railroad line from Kumanovo to Kriva Palanka. The financial assets for the railroad line are secured, the expropriation of the land is completed, there are no archaeological findings or locations across the roadbed, and the selected contractors’ quality and dedication are good, said Lokvenec.

“This means that by the end of 2025 we would finish both phases of the railroad line towards Bulgaria, starting from Kriva Palanka,” said the Director of the PE for Railroad Infrastructure.

Regarding the third phase of the section from Kriva Palanka to Deve Bair, Director Hari Lokvenec informed that the preparation of the tendering documentation is in its closing stage, which should be announced by the start of 2023.  The selection of the contractor of the most complex phase should be closed by the end of next year when the start of the construction works should be announced.

“Taking into consideration that the planned time for construction works of that section is 4 years, it means that by the end of 2027, we would have a new railroad line towards Bulgaria,” said Lokvenec.

EU’s Report also criticizes the realization of the joint border crossings i.e. the easing of the procedures for passengers and goods crossing across the borders.

“The railway border-crossing agreement with Greece has not yet been adopted, while some actions have been taken to implement the remaining border-crossing protocol with Kosovo. Both are encouraged to be finalised without any further delay,” said the Report about the reforms advancement in the section about the joint border-crossings. The European Commission reminds that complete financing hasn’t been secured for the construction of the joint railway border crossing near Tabanovce.

Regarding the transportation sector, the EC’s Report stresses that the country is mildly ready, and during the reporting year of 2022, limited progress has been achieved concerning the reforms.

“Political dedication for completing necessary sector reforms is still lacking,” states the European Commission’s Report.

At the same time, three points were stressed as key issues that North Macedonia should meet in the forthcoming period. The first is the strengthening of the operational and administrative capacity of audit bodies and the development of the capacity for implementing the lowering of the number of casualties in the sector referring to road and railroad infrastructure. Stress is put to the need of forming a Road Security Agency, but also the strengthening of the capacities of the State Transportation Inspectorate.

Identically compared to the previous year, the EU’s second request is the implementation of a reform in the railroad sector i.e. opening of the market for other companies in railroad transportation to enter. The monopoly of the market is held by the Railroads of RNM – Transportation. The liberalization of railroad transportation was requested by the EU in the past several years.

 

North Macedonia, preparation of a new National Youth Strategy started

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

The National Youth Strategy is more than an essential document for the young in the Republic of North Macedonia. It is setting the basic principles and directions for the action of all actors in the society that will improve the young’s socioeconomic position and create an environment that will allow the young to accomplish their rights, needs and interests.

This was stressed during yesterday’s meeting, when the preparation of a new National Youth Strategy for the period between 2023-2027 was announced.

In accordance with the Law on youth participation and youth policies, the Agency for Youth and Sport is the institution tasked with the implementation and coordination of the process for the creation of a national strategy for the young. The strategy will be prepared in cooperation with the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), OSCE’s mission in Skopje, and the United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA).

North Macedonia’s ruling party with a motion to forbid political parties to spread hatred and promote nazism

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

SDSM, North Macedonia’s ruling party proposed motion for amending the Law on Political Parties to increase transparency and oblige the parties to distance themselves from the fascism, Nazism and national socialism, but also from ethnic intolerance and spreading hatred. The draft law will allow greater transparency, both for the current and future political parties, and guarantee the legal well being for the people, as expected in a democratic, modern, and civilized legal state, the party explains.

The first article of the draft law for amending the Law on Political Parties stipulates that the statutes, the programs and the activities of the political parties must not incite and foment national, racial or religious hatred, intolerance, ethnic intolerance, hatred, genocide, extermination or support fascism, Nazism, national socialism and the Third Reich or revoke events or persons connected with them.

The political parties will have to adjust within 3 months after the passing of the law.

 

 

 

The young aren’t a priority for the municipalities – the implementation of the Law on youth participation in North Macedonia insufficient

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

Expired deadlines and complacent municipalities – this is how the implementation of the Law on youth participation and youth policies in North Macedonia can be described in brief.

Only 12% of the municipalities in North Macedonia have formed local youth councils, although they were obliged by law to do it by January 2021. Eleven municipalities established an office for the young, while most of the municipalities – 69% have met the legal obligation to appoint an officer for the young. Only 8 municipalities have established youth centers. The rest of the municipalities must establish such centers within next 2 years.

The young people and the youth organizations obviously aren’t a priority for the state institutions, taking into account that more than 2 years after the law was adopted, most of the planned mechanisms for young people’s participation and the services for the young still haven’t been implemented.

On the initiative of the Club for Youth Issues and Policies at the Parliament of the Republic of North Macedonia, in 2018 the process of creating a Law on the young started. It was the second attempt, back in 2011 a draft law on the young was penned, but later withdrawn. On the 14th of January 2020, the Parliament adopted the law, which is the first legal framework in North Macedonia that is guaranteeing the participation of the young in the society and recognizes the young and the forms of their organizing.

The Law on youth participation and youth policies stipulates establishing services for the young people i.e. mechanisms for rapprochement between the institutions and the young and enabling their growth and development. Therefore, the law stipulates opening offices for the young, youth centers, as well as officers for the young and local youth councils in the municipalities.

According to the Law dating from January 2020, in a period of one year after its enactment, the municipalities should have met several obligations, such as creation of local youth councils, opening offices for the young and designating Officers for the young. The deadline for these obligations was the 14th of January 2021 and today, a year and a half after the deadline, most of the municipalities still haven’t met their legal obligations. This is indicated in the Monitoring report on the implementation of the law on youth participation and youth policies, prepared by the National Youth Council of Macedonia.

 

A small number of offices for the young and youth centers

The report, evidencing the delayed implementation of the legal obligations, shows that a local strategy for the young so far was adopted by 14% of the municipalities.

The local strategy for the young people is a strategic document that serves, in accordance with the National Youth Strategy, to determine the mid-range goals and priorities for the development of youth policies and promotion of the interests of the young on a local level and organizational, financial, and administrative measures for their accomplishment. The National Youth Strategy represents a basis for the development of the municipality’s local youth policies within 5 from its adoption. Such strategies were adopted by 11 municipalities – Bogovinje, Veles, Gostivar, Ilinden, Kichevo, Kochani, Kriva Palanka, Krushevo, Lozovo, Strumica, and Chair. Only 6 municipalities came up with an action plan for the implementation.

According to the law, all municipalities are obliged to open an Office for the Young, representing a primary point of access for the young on a local level. The young people from that municipality through the office will able to get information about the issues related to young people.

But, despite the expiration of the deadline, an Office for the young was established by only 14% of municipalities in North Macedonia and one municipality just started this process. For most of the municipalities, there isn’t any announcement for opening such an office.

The situation with the youth centers is similar, and the municipalities have a deadline of 5 years after the adoption of the law to open them. Halfway through this period, only 8 municipalities have started youth centers.

The goal of the youth centers is to secure an appropriate and safe space where systematic support for the personal development of young people and for their active inclusion in the life of the community will be provided.

“The youth centers are locations where programs are being prepared and are implemented, that in turn will improve the young people’s well-being, the development of young people’s personal, social and professional life and information of great importance for the young and other aspects of young people’s lives is provided. The youth centers represent an opportunity for the local authorities to conclude partnerships with the entities of the youth organization that will be working in those municipalities with mission to provide access to quality programs for the youth development,” explains Filip Kulakov of the National Youth Council of Macedonia (NYCM).

The procedure for opening youth centers and securing their quality is additionally determined by a Rulebook for quality standards of the youth centers, which was published by the Agency for the young people and sports. As the municipalities which opened youth centers witnessed, the minimum necessary assets for the implementation of the annual program that the municipality should provide is MKD600,000.

“It is important to stress that only part of the municipalities meet the quality standards for the youth centers, such as the municipalities of Kavadarci, Kumanovo, Ohrid and Veles. The youth centers in the remaining municipalities are open with support from donors and had started functioning before the Law on youth participation and youth policies was adopted, and we expect that these municipalities will continue to invest in their functioning and to conclude a partnership with the entities of youth organization in order to implement high quality,” Kulakov says.

Local youth councils 

Even though the law stipulates establishing local youth councils in all 81 municipalities nationwide, this obligation, even after the deadline, was finished by only 11 municipalities – Valandovo, Delchevo, Kisela Voda, Kochani, Kratovo, Mogila, Novaci, Ohrid, Plasnica, Sveti Nikole and Strumica.

NYCM’s report notes that part of the municipalities that have formed a local youth council have additionally responded that they didn’t have a announce a public call for it, which is contrary to the legal steps for founding a local youth council.

The local youth councils that function work on their own promotion and introducing their work to the young people, as is the case with the local youth council in Ohrid.

“As the first generation of a local youth council which is working regularly, I would say that things are going well. The circumstances have forced us to postpone certain activities for later, but still, regardless of the obstacles that we came across, the young with their ideas and suggestions come first,” says Tea Petkoska of the Local youth council in Ohrid.

The youth council in this municipality has already started working on planned projects and the lack of events and activities in the winter period was identified as a major problem for the young in the city at Lake Ohrid.

“The main goal of this mandate is the opening of the Youth Cultural Center in Ohrid, because the young people need a place where they can spend their spare time full at cultural events.  This goal is already in the phase of accomplishment and the young will be able to enjoy the benefits that will be offered. The main problem that the young in Ohrid are facing is the lack of cultural events during the winter period. The young have no opportunity to develop on that level and mostly their everyday routines consist of repetition of the same activities, and that quickly turns into monotony,” Petkoska says.

In the east of the country, the biggest problem that the municipalities are facing is the mass emigration of the young, but also a great disinterest for involvement in the decision processes on the local level. As a result, the existing local youth councils are directed toward finding solutions for keeping the young home. Such is the example of the Local Youth Council in Delchevo which has organized several meetings with the young, at which they have collected proposals for the improvement of the living standards of the young in this municipality.

“The main problems that the young in Delchevo municipality, but also other smaller municipalities in the east have been facing, is their mass migration, the high unemployment rates, low wages and limited possibilities for career development. On the other hand, most of the young are disinterested in political and social events and occurrences and have no will for bigger participation in the decision-making processes on a local and national level,” said Milica Stojkovska, an Officer for the young in the Delchevo municipality.

Part of the Officers for the young aren’t even aware of their authorizations 

An exception to the insufficient implementation of the obligations imposed by the Law on youth participation is the appointment of an Officer for the young, an obligation that was met by 69% of the municipalities. But even here, over 30% of the municipalities have missed the deadline and still haven’t appointed an Officer for the young – a person that will be responsible for the Office for the young in the municipality and will be coordinating the issues in the interest of the young. It is obvious that the municipalities have shown the biggest interest in meeting this obligation which primarily consists of appointing an already employed person at the municipality.

Kulakov says that although some municipalities have met their legal obligations, the majority isn’t well acquainted with the Law on youth participation and youth policies and mostly don’t differentiate between a Youth center and Office for the young, and part of the officers were not aware of their role and authorizations.

Kulakov notices that the health and the financial crisis caused by the COVID-19 were regularly used as excuses for the delayed implementation of the Law on youth participation, thus showing that the young aren’t a priority to the authorities.

“It’s a fact that in the past two and a half years after the Law on youth participation and youth policies was adopted, was marked by health, financial and political crises that were regularly used as excuses for the delayed implementation of the law’s articles. With the delayed implementation of the Law, the institutions and the local authorities have missed the chance to really show that the young are a priority for them. In this period, the young became a priority only in the election promises, and the lack of implementation of the law only strengthened the young people’s stance that they are low on the agenda of the decision-makers,” considers Kulakov.

NYCM’s document stresses the need for urgent implementation of the Law on youth participation, especially at local level. Professionalization of the officers for the young is necessary in order to acquaint them with their authorizations and obligations and to provide stability of this office, instead of rotating the municipality employees.  NYCM recommends opening of public debates for amendments to the Law and promotion of the legal content based on learned lessons in the last 2 years.

The deadlines about part of the obligations that the municipalities have may have expired, but what remains is the hope and the given chance to the local authorities to show that the young are important societal actors, and to meet their legal obligations, even long after the deadlines.

The trial on the blaze that killed 14 in the COVID-19 hospital in Tetovo postponed again

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

The court hearing about the deadly fire in September 2021 in the modular COVID-19 hospital in Tetovo, North Macedonia, yesterday was postponed for the second time. Fourteen people died in the incident.

Two of the defendants, Dr. Boban Vuchevski and the hospital’s former Financial Director Artam Etemi, appeared in the court without attorneys to represent them. Even though they had two months to find a legal representative, they stated that they didn’t know they will need an attorney, informs Portalb.mk.

The next hearing about this case that is led by Judge Jordan Velkovski is scheduled for the 8th of November.

After the hearing was postponed, Etemi and Vuchevski didn’t wait to answer questions posted by journalists, instead they immediately left the Court.

In the meantime, Besimi said that he will prove his innocence in this case with the facts.

“I told you the last time, and I repeat, please continue with the hearing because I believe that with the facts that will be proven, I will prove my innocence about this tragic event. There is undisputed evidence that we shall reveal during the trial.  I hope that the process will start and end soon,” said Florin Besimi.

At the previous hearing that was postponed for today, the hospital’s former financial director Artan Etemi and the COVID-19 Center’s Manager Boban Vuchevski were missing. Only the former director of the hospital in Tetovo, Florin Besimi, was present,

Florin Besimi and Artan Etemi are charged according to Article 292, regarding Article 288 of the Criminal Code, about a felony that is jeopardizing general safety.

Four forensic evaluations have been conducted so far. The first was conducted by the Ministry of Interior, which stated that the fire started due to a short circuit of the extension cable during a reanimation of a patient.

The second was conducted by the Technological- technical faculty, but no details are known about the findings. The third forensic evaluation for the hospital installations was done by an electroengineer.

At the fourth, which was a German forensic, the prosecution said it didn’t differ much from the findings of the experts from the Sector for the control of forensic evaluation.

The terrible fire that turned the modular hospital in Tetovo into inferno,  took 14 lives of patients that were treated for COVID-19, but also members of the families of patients that were in the hospital at the time. Before the object was completely burned to the ground, 14 people were saved.

The fire in the modular hospital in Tetovo, which still hasn’t been removed, happened on the 8th of September 2021.

Let’s feed the economies, not the landfills – how the food banks help in the fight against hunger?

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

Let’s feed the economies, not the landfills. This is the motto of the Food Bank Macedonia, which for 12 years has been fighting tirelessly against dumping food as waste and against hunger in North Macedonia. Meta.mk talked with Dushko Hristov, founder and general manager of this organization, during a period when they were preparing the monthly packages that are distributed to the socially endangered persons in the municipality of Centar, in the capital Skopje.

Food Bank Macedonia is collecting the food surpluses from all food operators, such as producers, distributors, supermarkets and restaurants, and its sorting, storing and distribution to the socially endangered persons. This food bank is a member of the European Food Banks Federation, a network of over 420 food banks.

“For almost 12 years serving as a food bank in the field civil activism in Macedonia, we managed to collect and distribute over 2 000 tons of food,” said Dushko Hristov for Meta.mk.

From their beginnings to date, over 22 different companies participated in the efforts of this food bank. Today, Food Bank Macedonia has 7 regular supporters who on monthly basis are showing their humanity and are donating food products that are distributed to the people in need.

Dushko Hristov, Food Bank Macedonia. Photo: Meta.mk

Hristov stressed that the people are aware of Food Bank Macedonia as an organization, and therefore in August this year there were over 20 phone calls from people who decided to donate food surpluses from weddings, celebrations, funerals, and their organization has taken over and distributed these surpluses to their final beneficiaries in time.

While the world is wasting food, some people are starving

According to the data from the UN’s Environment Program – UNEP, up to 17% of the world food production in 2021 ended dumped in a landfill. The Food Waste Index Report for 2021 shows that 61% of the food waste comes from the households, 26% from the food producers and 13% from the sale points. Macedonia doesn’t have exact statistical data about the quantities of food that end as waste annually, since the State Statistical Office (SSO) lists it in the Organic waste category, which also includes the collected tree leaves and other materials for composting.

Nevertheless, the poverty rate in North Macedonia is striking. According to SSO’s latest data, the poverty rate in 2020 was 21.8% i.e., 451,900 people live below the poverty line. In 2020, in Macedonia there were 32,345 households that were social welfare beneficiaries. The number of minors who were beneficiaries of social welfare was 16,262 persons, together with 49.263 adult beneficiaries of social welfare. This data refers to the period preceeding the current global energy and economic crisis, which this year has caused drastic spikes in the prices of basic food products, electricity, oil derivatives and the gas.

Dushko Hristov says that the situation with the poverty and the food shortage is worsening, during times when the value of the consumer basket in July 2022 rose to MKD 47,042, according to the latest data published by the Alliance of the Trade Unions of Macedonia. This crisis was preceded by the COVID-19 pandemic, when during a period of one year, the bank distributed 819 individuale food packages to families or individuals that lost their jobs.

Municipalities of Centar and Kavadarci are the most eager for cooperation

Food Bank Macedonia can distribute between 10 and 12 tons of food monthly. Its founder says that two 2 municipalities in North Macedoniay – the municipality of Center in Skopje and the municipality of Kavadarci, have collaborated continuously and without problems with the food bank.

“We have been allocating 150y packages monthly in the municipality of Centar since 2018 which is 4th or 5th year in a roll,” explains Hristov about the monthly food packages that the socially endangered persons from this municipality have been receiving.

Donated food surpluses; Photo: Mea.mk

Apart from Skopje, a local food bank was opened in Kavadarci, where between 2 and 3 tons of food are donated monthly and local volunteers are taking part in its activities.

“Up to 100-150 families depend on them and with the help of the Mayor Mitko Janchev and the Council of the municipality Kavadarci, we were given an office and a vehicle for distribution of the received food donations to their final beneficiaries,” explains Dushko Hristov.

He also said that they have contacted almost all of the municipalities in North Macedonia and that they have signed cooperation memorandums with 11 municipalities, but to this day, no conditions were created to start working. In the past period, a more solid cooperation was established with the municipalities of Jegunovce, Novaci, Štip and Bitola and regarding the companies, Hristov has named Tinex, Stokomak, VERO, Ramstore, Vincinni and Vitaminka.

Assortment of the donated food; Photo: Meta.mk

Thanks to the cooperation with ENVIRUM, with the help from the partner companies, the bread and the pastries from Tinex are distributed to the final beneficiaries on daily basis.

Hristov says that the Managing board of Food Bank Macedonia has set goals for new food banks to be opened in the next 5 years, to form additional food banks in Macedonia, in order to establis a Macedonian Food Bank Federation. They already have 19 dedicated partner organizations in the cities throughout the country, with which they have established professional cooperation.

The Food Bank Macedonia has its warehouse in Skopje, which was provided by the Trgojug company. They have two transport vehicles for distribution of the food in Skopje and Kavadarci, including an additional space of 65 square meters in Kavadarci.

Hristov explains that the European Union, Civica Mobilitas and Church Baptist Fellowship in Macedonia are also their supporters, but that Food Bank Macedonia is open for cooperation with others that will yet show interest.

What is most important is that they have 47 volunteers that are unselfishly helping with food storing, packaging and distribution, without whom the food bank’s functioning would be unthinkable.

The lists of the socially endangered people aren’t compiled by the food bank, but by the Department of Social Welfare at the Municipality of Centar and the Center for Social Welfare in Kavadarci and on basis of these lists, a transparent food distribution is conducted. When there are food surpluses in Skopje, Kavadarci, Bitola and Shtip, they are distributed to the partner organizations.

The food bank is offering opportunities for young people

The Food bank Macedonia is sending a special message to all young people in North Macedonia to join them and take part in their activities. Apart from the opportunity for volunteering in food preparation and distribution, the young might be motivated to hear that that the above aren’t the only activities of Food Bank Macedonia.

Dushko Hristov reveals that they have initiated a preparation of a special Law on donating the surplus of food, that they are part of a working group for donations and sponsorships, and are planning to initiate amendments to the Law on Social Welfare. They are also part of the social councils on a local level. Young people and law, economy, social welfare, agricultural students, but also other university students, can take part in the food bank’s activities.

Photo Meta.mk

“We are open for cooperation with all those who think they have an urge and need an opportunity to prove themselves in their fields,” Hristov says, adding that Food Bank Macedonia provides opportunity for the young volunteers to come up with their own projects.

As a member of the European Food Bank Federation, through Food Bank Macedonia the young volunteers will have an opportunity to gain special experience in the domain of food banking. In Germany, their sister organization has a special academy that is unique in the world and where 3-4 young students annually can attend an internship program and gain knowledge about food banking. The European Food Bank Federation, organizes 4 to 5 training modules throughout Europe annually, and young people from North Macedonia who want to learn something new, can attend.

“The food bank is a living matter and I always say that, God willing!, one day we can shut it down, because that would mean that hunger and poverty are overcome. Hunger is the most difficult type of poverty,” Dushko Hristov reveals.

During the summer, Meta.mk visited the oldest food bank in Portugal.

The food banks in Portugal can feed up to 4% of the total population

 

Authors: Bojan Blaževski
Sanja K. Naumovska

TE-TO will provide central heating for Skopje using imported gas from Serbia, the produced electricity to be sold to Belgrade

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

North Macedonia and Serbia are negotiating a contract for gas distribution to North Macedonia, so that the combined electric power plant TE-TO in Skopje can continue working without delays.

During a press conference, the Republic of North Macedonia Government’s Advisor for Energetics sector, Viktor Andonov informed that there are talks with our northern neighbor for import of the needed quantities of natural gas for TE-TO’s operations, as well as the other central heating plants in Skopje during the season. The natural gas would be transported through Bulgaria, which is the sole Balkan country NMacedonia has a gas pipeline interconnection with.

Andonov stated that 10 days ago, Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić had already spoken publicly about this solution, which envisages that part of the electricity TE-TO will produce will be sent to Serbia, a country that in this period is trying to get additional quantities of electricity. This way, TE-TO will be using natural gas during this heating season using natural gas acquired through Serbia, while the people of Skopje that are using central heating will have heat in their homes without any delays.

Government’s Advisor stated that the correct information about the price for the gas from Serbia and the the price of the electricity that will be sold to our northern neighbor, will be publicized publicly as soon as the agreement is concluded.

Andonov said that for normal functioning of the central heating system in Skopje during the forthcoming heating season will require around 230 million cubic meters of gas. However, if an agreement isn’t reached with Serbia for the purchase of the needed gas, there is an option for bying gas from Turkey, and a final option can be the use of mazut for Skopje’s heating plants.

Advisor Andonov also said that the citizens of Skopje will not be left without central heating and electricity, and one of the options that the government has analyzed is the purchase of an electric power plant that runs on diesel for the production of electricity. The installation of this of power plant can be done quickly and the Electricity Company of North Macedonia was tasked to conduct the analyses and present the options for such purchase. The public will additionally be informed on this, as well.

High school students with disabilities in North Macedonia await the new Law on Secondary Education to get educational assistants

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

Nikola Stojanovski is one of the many high school students in North Macedonia who need an educational assistant, since he has the Down syndrome. The Convention on the Rights of the Child clearly states that education should be provided that will be directed at the development of a child’s character, its gifts and mental and physical abilities to their final limits.

But, for a month, Nikola has been attending the state high school for physical education “Metodi Mitevski – Brico” together with his mother, because the state cannot provide assistants for children like him.

He is an ambitious boy, and by his own words, he plans to enroll at college. His disability didn’t stop him to be a part of the children that recently won tens of gold medals at the inclusive Scientific Olympics for young innovators, and he regularly attends sign language lectures.

His mother Suzana, hopeful that she will be able to find a solution, has timely sent a letter to competent institutions, in which she stated the harsh troubles her son has been facing. So far, she hasn’t received any reply offering a solution, but an explanation that the new Law on secondary education is waiting to be adopted.

Despite being worried about how to find an educational assistant, she considers that her presence during the classes is having a negative effect on Nikola’s communication with the rest of the class.

“The majority of the kids there see a parent that is attending classes and are more withheld than during the second year when he was going with an assistant and he was able to hang out with the kids. The situation is a bit different now, the kids themselves see a parent who attends the classes the whole time,” says Suzana.

At the moment, the educational assistants for some of the high school pupils are provided through the UNPD’s program for the municipality-beneficial work in partnership with the local self-governments, the Employment Agency and the Ministry of Labour and Social Policies.

UNDP stated for Meta.mk that during this year, they have provided support for 50 municipalities that have applied for this program. In a period of 9 months, they hired 584 unemployed people.

Among them, there are people that are providing help to elderly and weak people, people with hearing and eye impairments, people with disabilities and other vulnerable categories.

“A total of 83 job vacancies were opened for educational and personal assistants for children with disabilities in secondary education in 17 municipalities,” said UNDP.

The Ombudsman’s opinion is that each child should have the right to unobstructed and qualitative education, as a basic human and constitutional right.

They Office of the Ombudsman stated for Meta.mk, that on their own initiative, they have started a case in order to monitor the accomplishment of the right to education for children in primary and secondary schools. In the meantime, apart from taking calls from parents, petitions were submitted that indicate the hardships or the inability to provide educational assistance for the children, both in primary and secondary education.

“What is worrisome is that even this school year, educational assistance for the pupils in secondary school will be provided with the support of UNDP through the inclusion of evidenced unemployed persons from Macedonia’s Employment Agency in the program for municipality-beneficial work. Among other issues, this is also due to the information that only several municipalities issued public calls in August for hiring educational assistants for a time span of 9 months and they would receive a payment in the amount of MKD 9 000. Because of that, there is a lack of interest among the potential candidates,” said the Ombudsman’s Office.

The Office also stated that what is also causing concern is the information that the potential candidates that will be delivering this service aren’t evaluated at all on the basis of their professional qualifications and competencies, while they will be providing help in the learning process for children with disabilities. This is certainly a serious task that demands maximum dedication and professional work.

“Without a doubt, the education has a key role in the development of the children/young, which obliges us as a state to create conditions for the accomplishment of this right without any discrimination and on basis of equal possibilities, through an inclusive system of education, to create education that will be in the child’s best interest. Consequently, the lack of educational assistants for pupils with disabilities included in regular schools represents a serious barrier to the unobstructed accomplishment of this right, a problem that needs to be urgently solved,” stressed the ombudsman’s office.

The office considers that an intensification of the activities on the part of the Ministry of Education and Science is necessary in order for a new Law on Secondary Education to be adopted, which will be adjusted with the Convention on the right of persons with disabilities. Hence, the support of pupils with disabilities in secondary education (educational assistance) is to be determined as a systematic solution.

Meta.mk requested an answer from the Ministry of Education and Science about the procedure for the new Law on Secondary Education and when it will be adopted, but it didn’t receive a clear answer.

The Ministry of Education and Science replied that the Law on Secondary Education is in a preparatory phase and this law will provide educational assistance for pupils with disabilities in state and municipal secondary schools.

In the meantime, the Ministry of Education and Science stressed that the educational assistants for secondary school pupils in municipal secondary schools will be hired through a program for municipal-beneficial work.

We didn’t receive a clear answer to our questions from the Ministry of Labour and Social Policy either, which in its turn is part of the program of municipal-beneficiary work.

In NMacedonia, state institutions without web sites and social networks presence, but with press officers “who are on vacation”

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

The levels of transparency and accountability of the state institutions in North Macedonia vary widely. Some of the state organs rank high on the list of accountable institutions, and are even among the best in the region, while others are at the bottom of the same list and almost unreachable for the citizens.

Likewise, some of the institutions in North Macedonia have worked out complete communication strategies, others don’t even have a web site on which they will share at least the most basic information. Some executive organs don’t even allow access to the public access information, which is sanctioned by law, and do not even answer journalists’ questions.

The transparency and accountability of the authorities is one of the key issues regarding the public administration’s reforms and the processes of European accession that are being implemented by the Western Balkans countries. Even though formally the region is working on fulfiling these tasks that should get us closer to the European Union, there is still a strong need for systematic regulation of the policies of transparency and communication, which must be set as long-term goals in order to objectively provide substantial and permanent gains for the communities and the society as a whole.

Among the institutions of the executive power in the region, the government of North Macedonia is the most transparent, meeting 82.71% of the transparency criteria. This is indicated by the Metamorphosis Foundation’s Assesment of good governance in North Macedonia and the region through the Openness Index. Its goal is an objective assessment of the good governance by the Western Balkans institutions.

However, the data collected via the regional Openness Index indicates that open and transparent activities by the institutions are just only on an individual level and that there aren’t any established long-term practices of behavior i.e. examples of institutions that have established rules and procedures of transparent behavior.

Some information about the work of the government bodies is not available, although it is mandated by law.

The government of North Macedonia was ranked as the best among the 50 monitored institutions in the country and for the third consecutive year it is the most transparent government in the region. The listing at the top of the most open institutions corresponds with the Macedonian government’s efforts itself for digitization of the processes in the institutions in order to create efficient and effective good governance systems with increased transparency and accountability. The efforts are, among other things, the result of the urge and the prerequisites of the EU accession process of the country, as was noted in the assessment.

This year, the survey by the Openness Index shows that the total score of the executive power, including the government, the ministries and the executive bodies, is 60.93%. The transparency indicators were marked the highest (55.65%), while the accessibility indicators were marked the lowest (51.09%). The accessibility indicators evaluate the degree to which the right to access information is guaranteed by law and in practice, including the quality of the mechanisms for inclusion and consultations in the processes of creation of policies.

As can be seen from the document, the lowest mark for the accessibility indicators for the executive government, among other factors, is due to the postponement of the modernization process and uniforming the new web sites of the government and the ministries, which in turn would have secured new digital and modern tools that would ease each institution’s proactive transparency.

Some institutions don’t even have web sites

If one wants to find information about sailing licenses for Lake Ohrid, probably one will have to put in a lot of effort to find a telephone number where one can call and ask. The Harbor Master’s Office that is governing the internal lake and river sailing, has no web site. Furthermore, when one tries to search for it on the web, the first link that will appear will lead to the Ministry of Transport and Communications’ web site, the Harbor Master’s Office being one of this ministry’s organs.

However, the Ministry of Transport and Communications’ web site only lists the names and the electronic addresses of the employees of the Harbor Master’s Office without  their job positions or the telephone numbers of any of the subdivisions. As a result, if one needs information about the sailing license, then he or she will have to sent an email to one of the addresses and hope that one of the employees that has the necessary information. Nonetheless, you will have to wait for a written reply.

You can find the Harbor Master’s Office’s telephone number on its Facebook profile. But even there the Harbor Master’s Office is not very agile in publishing information. In the past year, from last September until today, the Harbor Master’s Office has published only one post on Facebook. That happened in January, when it published the dates for taking the exams for boat pilots.

The Harbor Master’s Office in Ohrid is one of the 8 among the monitored 33 executive organs in the country that don’t have web sites. Apart from this organ, the following also don’t have their own web sites: The Service for Spatial Information System, the Administration for Development and Promotion of the Education in the Languages of the Minorities, the Administration for Seeds Management and Seed Material, the Water Management Administration, the Administration for Plant Protection, the Administration for the Combatant and the Disabled Military Veterans, and the Pedagogical Service.

Taking into account that the web sites, legitimately, are the chief sources of information about the institutions’ operations, and at the same time they are a tool for the fastest, easiest, and safest access, the executive bodies that don’t have web sites are at the bottom of the table of met indicators.

Even some of those institutions and bodies that have web sites aren’t using them to inform the general public about activities and subjects in their areas of work. There are institutions and organs that aren’t updating regularly their web sites with news and current events, in some cases for months or years on end. There are those that provide brief or almost no information about their operations.

The idea to make all web sites of all the ministries and governmental institutions uniform, thus making them more accessible for the citizens, will most likely have to wait. The institutions state the lack of funds as a reason for this delay.

“The idea to make the state institutions’ web sites uniform is something that will lead not only to making all information available everywhere in the same format, but, as we think, to raising the general level of transparency and availability of the information from all institutions. This process has been slowed down because of the economic and health crisis that has diverted the assets to other needs,” stressed the Government’s Secretary General Metodija Dimovski, at the promotion of the Assessment.

 

Sending all questions to one address 

The Service for Spatial Information System, which is a division of the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning (MEPP) is at the very bottom of the Оpenness list, according to the percentage of indicators met. On the Internet, information about this public body can be found on MEPP’s web page in the Contacts category, but there only one contact information is stated – the director’s.

There are other public organs that have listed just one general contact, through which the citizens can contact them, such as the Geological Institute, the Administration for Seeds Management and Seed Material, the Metrology Bureau, the Administration for Plant Protection, the Hydrometeorological Service and others. Two ministries also do not have updated contact information for the public administration – the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Political System and Relations between Communities, as well as 13 public organs.

While the web sites of the Government and the ministries were evaluated positively in regard of being updated regularly, some government bodies are stagnating when it comes to updating their web sites.

All the ministries, apart from the Ministry of Health, published the ministers’ biographies, while among the executive organs the results are worse – only 15 have published the biographies of their directors.

The majority of the executive organs, i.e. 70% of them, published their organograms.

Further, half of the ministries have published the Annual Work Programs, but at the same time, 43% of the ministries haven’t published the annual reports about their work. The results among the executive organs are even weaker – 36% have published their annual programs, while only 24 have published annual reports about the implementation of these programs.

Information about the monthly salaries of the ministers is lacking on the web sites of 13 ministries, even though it remains unclear why this hasn’t been done, considering that this information is publicly available on Government’s web site.

The parliament, as well as many other executive organs, haven’t published on their web sites  instructions on filinig complaints and objections nor have established a special channel for electronic petitioning.

Three ministries have published their communication and PR strategies – the Ministries of Defense, of the Interior and of Finance. At the time, even the Government published a Communications Strategy for the period from 2019 to 2020, which contributed to the high mark in the Openness Index. The government’s Communication Strategy since then hasn’t been updated and the question by Meta.mk when it is going to be updated, ironically, we didn’t receive any reply.

 

Information isn’t published even when the law demands it

The Law on the Free Access to Public Information provides a foundation for promotion of proactive and retroactive transparency. With the amendments of this law in 2019, the lists of categories of the public access information was expanded and clarified, explaining which information the holders should proactively publish on their web sites.

In order to provide simpler and easier access to the citizens, the holders of the public access information are obliged to publish on one page of their web sites the list of information and the documents which have public character according to the law, says Slavica Grkovska, Deputy President of the Government in charge of policies of good governance.

“We requested the holders of public information, i.e 1.445 in total, to make lists of the most requested data, in accordance with the Law on Free Access to Public Information. The subject are issues of all domains, the seekers are interested in public procurement, employments, and ways of payment of salaries. Our goal is to select the most requested information and to ask the institutions to publish it regularly, even without previous requests by the people. On one hand, the people will be timely informed at every moment, and on the other, it will improve the institutions’ efficiency and will secure a more efficient functioning in all тхе segments,” said Grkovska at the presentation of the Assessment.

Government’s web site completely meets the criteria for facilitating the right to free access of public information, but the report notes an all-encompassing weakness that is evident among all the institutions of the executive power. Namely, they have failed to publish on their web sites the answers with which they have allowed access to public information upon filed requests.

The document recommends following the best international and regional practices regarding the deadline for the reply to a request in paper form for free access to public information, which is between 7 to 15 days. It is also necessary to intervene again within the deadline as stipulated by the Macedonian law, and from 20 days, it should be shortened to 15 days at most.

In order to estimate the waiting time after filing a request to public access information, the Metamorphosis Foundation has sent requests for access to public information to all 50 monitored institutions, out of which, 46% have responded timely.

Four ministries and 7 executive organs have responded to the requests after the legal deadline, while 2 ministries and 7 executive organs didn’t even respond to the requests for public access information.

Late replies were received from the ministries of foreign affairs, transport and communication, health, and political system and relations between communities, while replies to requests weren’t received from the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy, and the Ministry of Information Society and Administration.

Part of the bodies, among them the Parliament, still haven’t published contacts of persons tasked for the people’s right to access public information.

You will have to wait for a reply, the press officer is on vacation 

Another problem when it comes to requests for information from the institutions is getting no anwsers to the journalist’s questions, which require urgent answers. According to the experiences of Meta.mk News Agency, the institutions’ answers about certain issues can be late for several days, and often won’t even arrive.

Such is the example of our communication with the Ministry of Education and Science, to which we sent questions four times last month on four different subjects and events, and we received a reply only once. In order to receive the only reply, apart from the question that was sent via email, we had to contact the press officer by phone, including the cabinet of Minister Jeton Shaqiri.

Regarding the questions we didn’t call by telephone to remind them they didn’t send, there still isn’t any reply.

Concerning the issue of failing to reply to emails, among other issues, the institutions often justify the act with the absence of spokespersons or increased scope of obligations.

But the institution’s work mustn’t depend only on one man, says communications expert Bojan Kordalov. According to him, during the communication of the institutions with the media and through it with the people, the issue of whether the spokesperson is on vacation is irrelevant.

“It is true that each institution has a person whose task is public relations and is communicating with the media, and even if there isn’t any spokesperson, each institution formally has sectors which works encompass informing those who are financing the institution i.e. the people and the companies. Starting from here, a simple system has to be established – the medium is asking you a question and you provide answers immediately, measured in minutes and not in hours, days, or months, but by minutes,” Kordalov says.

As he explains, today people have no time, patience, or desire to wait for information because everything is immediately available to them.

“You only need one minute to order something online. In order to see what is happening at the most distant location in the world, it would literally take a few seconds. But, in order to get public access information, for e.g. how much money was spent on a meeting or whether a processing station will be built or something similar, sometimes you, as a medium, and with it, the people will have to wait for weeks. This is inconceivable in the digital era. As a department within an institution, you are obliged to reply immediately,” said Kordalov.

Some state organs don’t even have profiles on the social networks 

The social networks also contribute to easing the communication and interaction with the public and their role in today’s global society is undisputed, especially when it comes to the exchange of information, raising the public consciousness about issues of public interest and informing the people about the institutions’ activities.

However, the Assessment objects to flaws regarding online channels for quick communication.

Out of 50 observed central institutions by to the Openness Index, 34 institutions have official channels on Facebook while 11 have profiles on Twitter.

The situation in the region is even worse – 75 % of the institutions in the region don’t use Twitter to inform the public about their work, and 43% don’t use Facebook.

Kordalov says that the presence of institutions on the social networks is a necessity, not a choice.

“Today the people don’t run after information, but the information comes to them – this is a very important rule in the digital era. This is something that the institutions will have to learn, since they are obliged to be everywhere where the people are. Consequently, I don’t think they have the right to choose where they will be, but they should be literally present everywhere. Also, a reason for that would be that the number of people engaged by the institutions often will show as too big. In order to justify these numbers, it is necessary for them to be at the service of the people, to provide information across all channels, especially the digital ones, because this is the reason why the institutions exist,” explains Kordalov.

Even though the conclusion that the habit of using only the personal profiles of the oficials on the social media, still, these profiles are still richer with information compareed to the institutions’ official social media channels.  The main problem with the officials’ personal profiles is that they aren’t used as a source of information and interaction with certain institutions as soon as their mandate ends, so these profiles don’t contain long histories of the occurrences in the institutions.

The institutions are recommended to follow the positive examples from the region and the world in order to promote communication with the general public and to become more available to the people. In the digital era we live in, the institutions’ availability and accessibility are the key for unobstructed communication and mutual understanding between those in power and those who elect leaders and expect good governance.

“The Happiest Man in the World” by Teona S. Mitevska is North Macedonia’s candidate for the Oscars

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

“The Happiest Man in the World” film directed by Teona S. Mitevska is this year’s North Macedonia’s candidate for the Oscar award in the International Feature Film category.

The decision was made by the Selection Committee of the Association of Film Workers of Macedonia and was accepted and approved by the American Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences.

The films “Snezhana Dies in the End” directed by Kristijan Risteski, “Kajmak” directed by Milcho Manchevski and “Mimi” directed by Darian Pejovski were also in competition for the nomination.

The Oscar awards ceremony will take place on the 12th of March 2023, at Dolby Theatre, Los Angeles.

Shar Mountain was declared a national park a year ago, but still no one knows whether small hydro power plants will be built

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

Will the investors who have concessions for construction of small hydro power plants in the protected area of the new national park in North Macedonia, “Shar Mountain” give up and how much reimbursment will they require?  A year after Shar Mountain was declared a national park, there are still no answers to these questions.

Last July, when the 4th national park in North Macedonia was declared, the Minister of Environment Naser Nuredini announced there are negotiations with the investors of 7 small hydropower plants (SHPP) that are now part of the park’s territory to convince them to give up. In the past year, it was announced that only one of them, the investor of SHPP Leshochka 100 and Leshochka 101 has given up on his request, as even though there had been a decision to give the concession, an agreement hadn’t been signed, so the procedure was stopped without a request for reimbursement.

As for the remaining investors, the investor of the SHPP Pena 82, SHPP Ljubotenska 66, SHPP Vratnichka 67, SHPP Belovishka 107, stated that they are requesting reimbursement of their invested assets for meeting the agreements, but even after so much time, there still isn’t any firm agreement.

The Ministry of Environment said that the procedures for termination of the concession agreements for the small hydropower plants in the Shar Mountain national park are underway, but they won’t state precisely how long will it last or whether the ministry has sent information to the government.  There is no information about the sums that the investors have requested, nor what will happen if they are unrealistic and if an agreement isn’t reached.

“The procedures aren’t over and we cannot give any information,” was the brief answer that the ministry sent to Meta.mk’s questions.

The environmental organizations have been requesting for more than two years for the state to annul the agreements for new small hydropower plants in the protected areas and to stop giving new concessions. As an argument, they use the fact that these facilities are contributing to the national energy system with around 4.6% of the total production of electric energy. Annually they receive subsidies in the amount of over €16 million. On the other hand, the damage they cause to biodiversity is immeasurable.

According to Gjorgji Mitrevski from “Eko svest” (Eco consciousness), last year, the Berne Convention recommended annulling all approved and planned hydropower plants in protected areas in the country, but also those outside that can influence the protected areas.  One-third of the small hydropower plants in the country are located in protected areas that serve to guard and preserve systems that are important. However, the environmentalists consider that for the energy-producing facilities that are outside the protected areas, there is a basis for their annulment.

“This recomendation is clearly indicating that all concessions that were granted should be annulled for those who haven’t built small hydropower plants and those who have. The convention was ratified by the Parliament, there is a law and it must be obeyed.  Unfortunately, we aren’t seeing any kind of activity by any institution which will show that there is an action based on the recommendation even though almost 10 months have passed since then,” said Mitrevski.

The number of wildfires in North Macedonia decreases in 2022, the area destroyed this year dozens of times smaller than last year

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

After the catastrophic wildfires that engulfed North Macedonia’s forests last year, the situation with wildfire prevention in the country this year has improved drastically. During the first 6 months of 2022, 69 wildfires were registered and an area of 733.02 hectares was burned, with 4 621 cubic meters of wood damaged, the Public Enterprise (PE) “Nacionalni shumi” (National Forests) informs.

In the first half of 2022, the damage caused by the wildfires amounts to MKD43 218 277 (€702 700), and the costs for their extinguishing were MKD832 650 (€13 540). PE “National Forests” is yet to summarize the data on the damage caused by the wildfires in July and August. Yet, the rainy weather and the lower temperatures in August have contributed to a lower number of wildfires and areas damaged compared to August 2021.

As a reminder, in the last year in a period of just four months, 142 wildfires were registered and 11 420 hectares of forest areas were damaged. In a period of only 4 months, the forest wildfires have caused damages in the amount of over €37.6 million.

Last year’s infamous onslaught destroyed by far the largest forest area within the past decade. We say more and bigger wildfires only in 2012, when 19 312 hectares of forests were burned down.

However, the number of wildfires and the vegetation areas that burn are directly influencing the greenhouse gas emissions that Macedonia is producing annually. The latest data from the Ministry of Environment shows that even though the greenhouse gasses emissions in the forestry sector are an unpredictable factor in the long term, still the latest data for 2019 show a drastic increase in the carbon dioxide emissions from this sector. Unlike the year 2016, when the forestry sector emissions were 1,320.6 Gg. CO2-eq, in 2019, primarily due to the increased number of wildfires, there was an emission of hazardous gases into the atmosphere of even up to 1,634.4 Gg. CO2-eq.

With the negative balance of the forest areas burned by wildfires the previous year, the effect it has had on the climate change has yet to be evaluated, i.e. the quantities of greenhouse gases that were produced by last year’s wildfire to be calculated. In 2000, when the fires have affected larger forest areas, the greenhouse gasses emissions have climbed to a record number of 10.441,1 CO2-eq. 

Conversely, the direct protection of forests and the prevention of wildfires, together with the afforestation means a larger number of healthy trees that are absorbing the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and are directly influencing the lowering of the effects caused by climate change in North Macedonia and worldwide.

The PE National Forests states they have no information about organized arsoning of the forests, but they also state there are appropriate institutions in the country that should investigate and prove that.

 

No rise in illegal logging this year

According to the processed data that the Sector of Forest Protection, Monitoring and Internal Control has, the PE National Forests says that the registered illegal logging this year equals the numbers for the last year.

“In the period from January to June 2022, regarding the registered illegal logging, and in accordance with processed data that the Sector of Forest Protection, Monitoring and Internal Control has, 9 382 m3 of wood was illegally cut, and the PE National Woods has filed 98 charges and 19 criminal charges for illegal logging,” informed this PE.

Otherwise, the data from the State Statistical Office (SSO) for last year shows that illegal logging has increased compared to 2020. Last year, the poachers managed to illegally cut 29,800 m3 of wood, which is 10,000 m3 more compared to 2020.

Greenhouse gas emissions in North Macedonia are on the rise instead of declining

Posted on by Nenad Georgievski

After reaching the historically lowest record of greenhouse gas emissions in 2016, Macedonia unfortunately increased the emissions of harmful substances into the atmosphere that are contributing to climate change’s negative effects. The Energy sector is at the forefront of this negative rise.

According to the last data - from 2019, published in the Report on National Greenhouse Gas Inventory of the Republic of North Macedonia (RNM), all the sectors in the country, the forestry sector excluded have together produced 11 267.6 gigagrams of carbon dioxide equivalents where almost two-thirds of such emissions come from the energetics sector or 8 501.1 Gg. CO2-eq. Despite this, in 2016, the total emissions of greenhouse gases without the forestry sector were 10 024.1 Gg of carbon dioxide equivalents i.e. in a period of 3 years there is an increase in emissions of hazardous gases into the atmosphere by around 10%.

The negative tendencies on a national level can be seen in other sectors as well. In the agricultural sector, there is a rise in greenhouse gases emissions, from 1 202.6 in 2017 to 1 368.3 Gg. CO2-eq three years later. In the waste sector, there is a rise from 606.7 in 2016 to 635.2 Gg. CO2-eq in 2019. Only in the industrial processes and use of products sector, the greenhouse emissions are almost identical and are around 763 Gg. CO2-eq during both periods.

Even though in the forestry sector the greenhouse emissions depend on forest fires that are seen as an unpredictable factor long-term, still, the latest data about the year 2019, are evidencing a drastic increase in greenhouse gas emissions even in this sector. Unlike 2016, when the forestry sector managed to emit 1 320.6 Gg. CO2-eq, in 2019, primarily due to forest fires there were emissions of hazardous gases into the atmosphere in the amount of 1 634.4 Gg. CO2-eq.

"Significant variations of net emissions are evident in the years 2000, 2007, 2012, 2017, and 2019 when a rise in CO2 emissions were noticed in the Forestry sector and other uses of land (instead of decrease/dive) as a result of the increase in forest fires," states the Report of National Greenhouse Gases Inventory.

This means that state institutions, in cooperation with local self-governments, the NGO sector and the people, should directly work on the prevention of forest fires, in order to be able to control the contribution to greenhouse gas levels on a national level.

In this voluminous document, it is stated that the negative variations toward the rise of greenhouse gas emissions on national levels are due to the increased production of electricity.

"Historically seen, the most dominant type of fuel is coal (mainly lignite) which provides around 40% of the country's total needs. The situation has changed in 2019 because of the oil products which share is 38.5% and natural gas with a share of 8.7% while coal's share dropped to 36.4%, indicates the Report.

The greenhouse gas emissions in the Energetics sector increased by 14% in 2019, compared to 3 years previously, and were happening parallelly with minimal changes in the categories that are part of this sector.

"Most of the greenhouse gas emissions in 2019 come from the Energy industries category (54%), Transportation (27.7%) and Production industries and building (12.6 %). The remaining 2 categories jointly make up 4% of the total emissions in 2019 while the remaining 2% are fugitive emissions, "states the report.

In addition, out of all damaging matters that are emitted into the atmosphere, over 96% of them are actually carbon dioxide emissions coming from the Energetics sector. In this document including many previous reactions by environmentalists, it is stressed that the very use of coal and mazut during the production of electric energy and the use of oil derivatives in transportation have a key influence on the amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.

As a reminder, last year, Macedonia adopted the Long-term climate action strategy, which main goal is cutting the national greenhouse gas net emissions.

Without the registered emissions coming from the aviation and electric energy import, Macedonia will have to cut the greenhouse gas emissions by 72% by 2050 compared to the levels in 1990 or to achieve greenhouse gas emissions lowering by 42% by 2050 compared to 1990, except for the Forestry, aviation emissions and the import of electricity. This also includes resilience increases in society, the economy, and the ecosystems toward influences caused by climate change.

However, last year Macedonia signed the Glasgow Climate Pact at the Climate change conference (COP 26) that should accelerate the tempo of climate activities directed toward decrease of greenhouse gas emissions in order to maintain the rise of average air temperature on a global level up to 1.5 C and finalization of the exceptional elements from the Paris Agreement on climate change.