State Audit: Protection System Not Always Ready — Only 45% of Firefighter Posts Filled
No new national strategy since 2018. Funding is nonetheless up 90% this year. Ohrid stands out as a positive example.
Macedonia's protection and rescue system "does not always have the necessary strategic, institutional and operational readiness" to respond to disasters, a State Audit Office (DZR) review published on 22 September found. The audit was carried out amid growing exposure to wildfires, floods and extreme weather.
Among the findings: no new National Protection and Rescue Strategy has been adopted (the last one was valid through 2018, and a 2026-2030 draft remains unadopted); of 384 authorised firefighter positions, only 172 are filled (about 45 percent); firefighting equipment is outdated; and mountain rescue is not legally regulated as part of the operational forces.
Skopje's fire brigade, responsible for about 617,000 residents across 1,818 square kilometres, carried out 1,412 fire interventions in 2024. Targeted funding for territorial fire units has nonetheless grown significantly — to 1 billion denars this year, up from 525.5 million in 2025, a 90.3 percent increase.
As a positive example, the audit highlights the Ohrid municipality and the Red Cross Ohrid Mountain Rescue Service, where a functional organisation, coordination and internationally trained rescuers are in place — evidence the problem isn't universal, but depends on local organisation.
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · September 23, 2026