Skopje, 24 July 2024 (MIA) – The Steering Committee for Coordination and Management of the Crisis Management System decided at a session on Wednesday to recommend the Government to urgently make a decision on reorganizing the entire system in order to adequately deal with any crisis that would arise in the country. The committee, chaired by Minister of Interior Panche Toshkovski, discussed the situation so far in dealing with the wildfires across the country. 

Toshkovski pointed out that a decision was made on reorganizing the entire system in order to adequately deal with any crisis that would arise in the country, and ensure a timely and appropriate response by the Public Enterprise for the Management of State Forests “National Forests”, which he noted was in a catastrophic state.

“The fact is that the Crisis Management Center (CMC) and all other institutions operate within capacities that we have inherited, and the fact is that it is inadequate and untimely according to the needs. We must fundamentally reform the system so that next year we don’t find ourselves in the same situation we find ourselves in this year, and we have found ourselves in many years before. That is the first decision made by the Steering Committee. The second decision refers precisely to timely and appropriate response by the Public Enterprise for the Management of State Forests “National Forests” which, as you know, is in a catastrophic state, in terms of providing 15 tons of fuel from the state reserves in order to be able to promptly respond within the overall crisis situation that will arise with the fires,” said Toshkovski.

He pointed out that the Steering Committee mulls a decision on creating a single body, i.e. merging the CMC and the Protection and Rescue Directorate (DZS) under one command, as well as forming a special unit.

“The fact is that we need to fundamentally reorganize towards adequate reaction to such a crisis situation. Decision is being mulled on creating a single body in the future that will have both the material and human capacities to respond appropriately to such crisis situations. That would be one of the possible system solutions,” Toshkovski noted.

The Ministry of Interior, he added, has set up an operational action "Fire 2024", which includes all departments of internal affairs in the country, because it is a fact that most of the fires are caused by human factor, he noted.

“So far, we have two suspects for two specific criminal-legal events, and appropriate procedural steps have been taken in terms of establishing the truth and proceeding further to competent authorities. I appeal to all Macedonian citizens, if in a situation where they are suspicious of any illegal activity by anyone, to report that in a timely manner, and the police will promptly respond and we will vigorously take all necessary steps to ensure accountability,” the Minister said. 

Minister of Defence Vlado Misajlovski, Minister of Health Arben Taravari, head of the Risk and Hazard Assessment Group and CMC director Stojanche Angelov, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, and Water Economy, Cvetan Tripunovski, and director of the Public Enterprise for the Management of State Forests “National Forests”, Zdravko Trajanov, also attended the meeting.

Photo: MIA