Polluted Air Arrives Before Winter: What Has Been Done Since Last Year and Where the Clean-Air Money Is
Beyond the 2025–2030 programme and projects worth about €14 million, no table of money actually paid by measure and location has been published, Racin criticizes.
The Ministry of Environment presented the Clean Air Programme 2025–2030 in December 2024. According to UNOPS (an update from September 2026), heating systems have been improved in 32 schools and public buildings, with a reduction of fine-particle emissions of up to 99 percent and of heating costs by 30 percent. 6,210 trees were planted in Skopje, Bitola, Kumanovo and Tetovo.
Projects are also listed: an EU air-quality project in Skopje, Kumanovo, Tetovo and Bitola worth €10 million, a UNDP project funded by Sweden worth $2.56 million and a project supporting European directives worth €1.5 million. The 2025 environmental investment programme is 871,128,000 denars, but it also covers water and wastewater.
Racin’s criticism (October 10) is that these are project budgets, not proof that the money has been spent; that improvements in 32 buildings do not show a change in concentrations across whole cities; and that the existence of inspections is not proof of reduced emissions. The author asks the ministry and municipalities to publish a table of money paid out for 2025 and 2026 by measure, location and effect.
MKNews Hub · Macedonia · October 12, 2026
