SDSM: Mickoski Publicly Admitted Gostivar’s Water Was Bacteriologically Unsafe for More Than Two Years

The Social Democratic Union of Macedonia has accused Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski of publicly acknowledging in his latest statement that the water in Gostivar had been bacteriologically unsafe for more than two years.

The opposition party quoted Mickoski as saying that he “believes that, for the first time in many years, citizens will use water that is completely bacteriologically safe.” SDSM interprets this statement as evidence that the authorities knew about the problem while citizens continued to consume unsafe water.

According to SDSM’s claims, a new bacterium was detected following the hyperchlorination process, while there is still no official confirmation that the water can be used safely. At the same time, the party is demanding that documents certifying the water’s technical safety be made public.

SDSM stressed that the drinking water issue does not affect Gostivar alone, but is also present in dozens of other settlements across North Macedonia. Its response also mentioned the hepatitis epidemic in Gostivar and the pollution of the Lepenec and Vardar rivers, cases for which, according to the party, responsibility has yet to be established.

In conclusion, SDSM said that Mickoski’s statement, rather than portraying him as the person who solved the problem, amounts to a public admission of responsibility for the drinking water situation in Gostivar.