Mickoski: Prosecutor’s Office Investigating to Determine Who Is Responsible for Gostivar Water Contamination

North Macedonian Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski said those responsible for addressing the water situation in Gostivar are consulting experts. According to him, the water can currently be used for technical purposes and is expected to be safe for drinking soon. He urged all parties not to spread hysteria.

In an interview for the “Rishtazi në ‘Koha’” podcast, Mickoski stressed that the services in question fall exclusively under the municipality’s jurisdiction, and that the municipality has an established method of communicating with state institutions on matters related to inspections and similar procedures.

“We must all be clear that this is the municipality’s responsibility, and it is very important to say this because those services are exclusively the responsibility of the municipality. There is an established method by which the municipality communicates with state institutions regarding inspections and similar matters. As for Gostivar, technical water has been available since today. In recent days, the parameters have been positive. By that, I mean the system has been cleaned, or rather hyperchlorinated, and today residents can already use the water for technical purposes, but not for drinking or cooking,” Mickoski said.

He said hyperchlorination is expected to continue in the coming days. According to forecasts, the same water may be safe for both drinking and food preparation in the second half of this week.

Speaking about accountability, the prime minister explained that the director of the relevant public enterprise was not appointed by the government but by other authorities—in this case, the mayor. He added that the Prosecutor’s Office is carrying out its duty to determine who bears responsibility.

“If you behave irresponsibly in that way, it is something one might least expect from a person appointed to lead that institution. Yet some people there—not just one person—acted in that manner. You cannot make a decision and implement it alone without receiving an order or seeking logistical assistance from certain people. In this case, we are dealing with reckless human behavior,” Mickoski said.

The prime minister also said his team is working with experts who are being consulted about the situation and whose advice is being taken into account. He noted that the response to secure drinking water was swift and thanked the residents and companies that donated water, as well as everyone who showed patience.

“I would also like to thank the City of Skopje and the Public Enterprise ‘Water Supply,’ whose team participated in the hyperchlorination process to provide water for technical use, as well as everyone who has been patient. I hope such incidents do not occur in the future. The Prosecutor’s Office is doing its job, and now we will see who is responsible,” Mickoski added.