Skopje, 21 November 2024 (MIA) – The government scheduled an emergency session at 2 pm in which ministers will discuss the public transport issue facing the capital Skopje. Since Wednesday afternoon, only 25 Public Transport Enterprise (JSP) buses are operating, while the rest remained parked in JSP’s garages due to lack of fuel. 

Yesterday, the chair of the Council of the City of Skopje, Trajko Slaveski, convened an emergency session, due at 6 pm, in which municipal councillors should discuss the capital’s public transportation.

At a news conference, the SDSM councillors’ group put forward several proposals to settle the crisis. The opposition propose that the government should urgently provide 2.5 million litres of Euro-diesel from the state-own oil reserves, convene supervisory debate in Parliament over the state of play in the capital and amend the law on financial support of municipalities and public enterprises. They urged Parliament to pass them in fast-tracked procedure so as to ensure financial stability of the City of Skopje.  

The Liberal Democratic Party in a statement called on Skopje Mayor Danela Arsovska to step down saying public transportation collapsing in the past couple of days is the current city administration hitting rock bottom. 

The City of Skopje administration points the finger at the VMRO-DPMNE municipal councillors and the Public Procurement Bureau director for leaving JSP without fuel.

A protest calling for normalization of Skopje’s public transport is expected to take place on Friday outside the City of Skopje’s offices.   

MIA file photo