The opposition SDSM claims that the Government secured drinking water for Gostivar residents through an agreement worth 100,000 euros, concluded under a negotiated procedure without a public notice. According to the party, while citizens were facing health consequences from contaminated water, the executive entered into a “business deal without a tender.”

According to SDSM’s allegations, the contract was awarded to the company “Kozhuvchanka,” owned by the mayor of the Municipality of Kavadarci, while the procedure was overseen by Ivica Tomovski, director of the Service for General and Common Affairs.

The Government denied the claims, describing them as “complete disinformation.”

“These are shameless and dishonest lies. In the absence of real issues and arguments, SDSM is once again resorting to lies and distorting the facts,” the Government said in its response.

The executive explained that, due to the crisis, the negotiated procedure was conducted by the Service for General and Common Affairs, while the water is being distributed free of charge to Gostivar residents.

“It is true that the negotiated procedure was conducted by the Service for General and Common Affairs and that the water is being provided to citizens free of charge. The company ‘Kozhuvchanka’ was awarded the contract through the procurement procedure,” the Government explained.

The response emphasized that each 1.5-liter bottle of water was purchased for 12.5 denars, while according to the Government, its retail price is at least 25 denars. The company, it said, also made its own contribution to assisting citizens and institutions during the crisis.

According to the Government, the supply of bottled water will continue until the responsible institutions determine that water from Gostivar’s water supply network is safe to use.

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Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski held a one-on-one meeting with his Serbian counterpart, Gjuro Macut, in Ohrid this afternoon.

Following the meeting, Mickoski said on Facebook that, during a frank and constructive discussion, they had addressed the challenges currently facing the region, opportunities to expand bilateral cooperation, economic relations, infrastructure connectivity, and joint initiatives aimed at fostering greater development and prosperity in both countries.

According to Mickoski, the two sides reaffirmed their shared commitment to further advancing friendly relations based on mutual respect, good neighborly relations, and a common interest in a stable and prosperous region.

Serbia’s prime minister was welcomed at Ohrid Airport by Foreign Minister Timço Mucunski.

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Venko Filipçe, leader of SDSM, said citizens would face a difficult autumn, while living standards are expected to decline further.

Commenting on the country’s economic and social situation, he said the Government had not prepared a plan to protect citizens from the new wave of price increases expected to begin in September.

According to Filipçe, instead of adopting measures to safeguard living standards, the authorities are leaving citizens to cope on their own with rising food prices, high fuel prices and the continuously increasing cost of living.

He raised concerns that regional and global developments could further worsen the economic situation. Nevertheless, according to him, the Government is not taking action to prevent the coming wave of price hikes.

Filipçe said he expects a major crisis in September, citing the exceptionally low water level in the Danube and the declaration of a state of crisis in Serbia and Hungary. He added that Hungary is shutting down part of its nuclear capacity due to a lack of cooling water, which could affect energy prices in the region.

As another source of uncertainty, the SDSM leader mentioned the war in Iran. According to him, it is still unclear how the situation will develop and, if it does not calm down, fuel prices will continue to rise. Filipçe reiterated that there are no measures to support citizens and that he expects a major crisis.

He stressed that household budgets would feel the greatest impact in September, when back-to-school expenses also begin. At the same time, the Government has announced neither wage increases nor measures that would mitigate the effects of rising prices.

Filipçe raised the question of what would happen to fuel prices and whether an increase would trigger a new price spiral. Referring to prices in supermarkets, he said they would rise again following the latest increase in fuel prices. According to him, no one is monitoring prices or taking measures, and the country is therefore facing a major crisis.

Finally, he accused the Government of using “administrative tricks” to conceal the true state of living standards instead of providing citizens with genuine support.

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SDSM Vice President Aleksandar Trajanovski told Television 24’s news program that the contamination of the water supply with coliform bacteria in the 21st century constitutes a disaster. According to him, such cases are usually recorded during floods or other natural disasters, and all those responsible must be held accountable. He said the incident in Gostivar demonstrates serious dysfunction within the current government and poor communication between institutions.

Trajanovski said responsibility for the situation in Gostivar should be sought at all levels, starting at the top of government. He stressed that SDSM does not absolve the local government of responsibility, but placed the primary blame on the ruling party, which, according to him, should have brought the situation under control and prevented it from escalating.

SDSM is demanding that the full documentation be made public, together with the entire sequence of institutional decisions and responses. Trajanovski emphasized that the first symptoms appeared as early as the end of July, but no one acted in time.

He questioned the lack of measures, even though 200–300 patients with the same clinical symptoms were admitted to Gostivar Hospital for several consecutive days. Trajanovski said the blame cannot be attributed solely to the local government, particularly since the hospital director stated that the Ministry of Health had been informed.

According to him, if the Institute of Public Health has authority over all public health centers, it must be clarified what action was taken by the Public Health Center in Tetovo, which also oversees the Gostivar branch. He demanded answers as to whether anyone was notified and alerts were sent during those five days, or whether the response was limited solely to testing the water.

Trajanovski described these as five precious days that were lost. He noted that, on the one hand, the hospital director claims that the Ministry was aware, while, on the other, it appears that the information either failed to reach the right place or someone did not respond in time. For this reason, he said, it is indisputable that someone must be held accountable.

The SDSM vice president also stressed that Gostivar residents have the right to receive full answers and that the institutions must be transparent.

He said that, in such a situation, an institutional representative should have appeared before the public every day, held press conferences, reassured citizens and provided clear information about developments.

Trajanovski compared the current authorities’ communication with that during the COVID-19 crisis, when SDSM leader Venko Filipçe served as health minister.

In conclusion, he recalled that Venko Filipçe appeared before the public every day during the COVID-19 crisis and provided guidance on dealing with a global health crisis. According to Trajanovski, today’s government is failing to manage even the crisis in Gostivar.

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The executive has announced the approval of a decision regulating the conditions for using compensation funds. The existing credit line, managed by the Development Bank, will serve to provide capital for the purchase of unprocessed rice and the wine grape variety Vranec.

“We are taking this measure before the main procurement phase begins, a period during which companies face high financial needs for securing raw materials, the revenue from the sale or processing of which comes at a later stage,” the announcement states.

The objective of this instrument is to establish a sound financial base so that the procurement process proceeds without delays and the delivered products are paid within the specified deadlines. For this purpose, resources from the existing credit line, as well as free liquidity managed by the Development Bank, are made available. The total amount of funds reaches 793,481,723 denars, which corresponds to approximately 10.1 million euros. Of this total, 240 million denars are allocated for securing unprocessed rice, while 553,481,723 denars will be used for purchasing wine grapes of the Vranec variety.

Applications for each of these two allocations will be reviewed on a first-come, first-served basis. According to the rules, the maximum loan amount for an entity purchasing Vranec grapes is up to 130 million denars, while for unprocessed rice the limit is 30 million denars.

As for deadlines, the credit for rice must be repaid within six months, while for grapes this period extends to nine months. A three-month grace period is provided for both lines, with payments made in quarterly installments. The financing terms include a fixed interest rate of 1% per year, with no upfront fees for loan administration, official sources clarify.

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Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski announced that the executive is preparing new interventions to cope with the relentless rise in fuel prices.

Currently, according to him, it is being assessed whether the measures will be targeted or universal, as in previous periods.

One alternative on the government’s table is also the reduction of the Value Added Tax for fuels. Mickoski stressed that after the declaration of a state of emergency nationwide, the institutions have the legal basis to act in this direction.

“We are monitoring the situation. As a government, we have already taken the first step by reducing part of the excise duty on petrol and diesel, but unfortunately, global markets continue to register price increases. Today we are again approaching the symbolic threshold of 100 dollars per barrel, while military tensions in the Persian Gulf are intensifying,” Mickoski stated.

He added that the government is examining the nature of the intervention, underscoring that the well-being of citizens remains a top priority.

Asked about the possibility of reducing VAT on fuel derivatives, Mickoski confirmed that this path is also being considered, although it is not the most preferred option due to its effect on the state budget.

“Yes, this is also part of the scenarios we are evaluating. It may be the least desirable alternative, as it directly affects budget revenues, but for us the primary interest is the standard of living of the population. When the situation requires it, as an executive we are determined to stand by the citizens,” Mickoski concluded.

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At today’s session, the Government decided to appoint Zllatko Perinski as Acting Director of the Health Insurance Fund of the Republic of North Macedonia. His appointment was made at the proposal of Health Minister Sasho Klekovski.

The government statement announcing the decision said that Perinski had completed a master’s degree in human resources management. During his professional career, he has served as Minister of Local Self-Government, headed the Public Enterprise “Water Supply and Sewerage” – Skopje as General Director, and worked as Manager of the “Boris Trajkovski” Sports Complex.

The proposal to appoint Perinski as head of the Fund was strongly opposed by the opposition, which cited the fact that he graduated from the Faculty of Physical Education./Telegrafi/

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At its 195th session today, the Government decided to declare a state of crisis in the Municipality of Gostivar for a period of 30 days.

The decision was made at the proposal of the Steering Committee, which comprises Defense Minister Vllado Misajllovski, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Timço Mucunski, Interior Minister Pançe Toshkovski, Health Minister Sasho Klekovski, Transport Minister Aleksandar Nikolloski, and the director of the Directorate for Protection and Rescue, Stojançe Angellov.

The committee also includes external members: Minister of Environment and Physical Planning Muamet Hoxha, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Economy Borçe Serafimovski, director of SHPPP Ivica Tomovski, director of the Institute of Public Health Marija Andonovska, director of the Food and Veterinary Agency Oliver Millanov, director of the Environmental Inspectorate Ivana Ginovska, and the president of BNJVL and mayor of the City of Skopje, Orce Gjorgjievski.

According to the government statement, the step was taken because the local authorities are unable to manage the situation in the Municipality of Gostivar. The declaration of a state of crisis is intended to speed up coordination among institutions, enable the water supply system to function, and ensure access to drinking water as quickly as possible.

The Government emphasized that protecting the health of residents of the Municipality of Gostivar remains a priority and that it remains committed to fully resolving the problem.

At the same time, the Public Prosecutor’s Office is expected to conduct a detailed investigation and fully clarify the case. The statement said that anyone who endangered the health and lives of Gostivar residents must be held accountable.

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Referring to Public Revenue Administration data for 2025, she stated that 73% of citizens have monthly incomes below the country’s average salary level.

According to her, approximately half of employees earn between 24,000 and 36,000 denars per month. Cvetanovski stressed that even two salaries at this level, when compared with the minimum consumer basket, are insufficient to cover a family’s basic expenses.

She assessed that wage growth has lagged behind rising product prices, as food, utility services and essential goods continue to become more expensive. Cvetanovski also criticised the Government for not increasing the minimum wage to 600 euros, as SDSM claims.

SDSM warned that the new higher prices of petroleum products are expected to be reflected in food prices as well, further burdening families’ financial situation.

According to the party, the current economic measures have contributed to a decline in living standards and a deterioration in citizens’ economic situation.

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According to Mickoski, the difficulties currently facing the dairy industry are linked to earlier regulatory changes which, according to him, eased import conditions.

“But first we need to find the culprit, that is, diagnose the problem. And the problem was created several years ago by the previous government, through changes to the regulation that lowered the criteria for importing powdered milk and palm oil. That is the essence of it. This is where what is happening today comes from,” said the prime minister.

He stressed that dairy factories currently hold large reserves, which, according to him, directly affects both the quantity of raw milk purchased from farmers and the purchase prices.

“Dairies have warehouses filled with products made from processed milk. This is reflected in the volume of milk purchases from farmers and, of course, affects the price, which is declining,” Mickoski emphasized.

Mickoski added that this situation is not unique to the country, but is also being seen in countries across the region. He announced that, as part of the measures being prepared, the Government is working to introduce stricter criteria for powdered milk imports and for the economic operators that bring it in, with the protection of domestic producers as the top priority.

“The new regulation introduces stricter criteria regarding powdered milk and the economic operators that import it. In the coming period, our main interest is domestic farmers, that is, milk producers from our country,” the prime minister stressed.

He also announced that activities are underway to encourage agreements between milk producers and processors, as well as to secure funds from socially responsible companies, with the aim of purchasing surplus products currently stored in dairy warehouses.

At the same time, Mickoski recalled that after the completion of the Budget rebalancing, the payment of subsidies for 2025 will be carried out. He stressed that the Government is working to overcome the conditions inherited from the previous period.

“Of course, after the completion of the Budget rebalancing, the subsidies for 2025 will also be paid. Just as a reminder, in 2024, the subsidies for 2023 had not been paid when we took office. Now we are talking about subsidies that will be paid for 2025, which means the process is ongoing,” Mickoski emphasized.

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