Negotino, 9 October 2022 (MIA) – Romeo weeps for his Juliet. Negotino's tourism potential possesses an unbelievable “love story.” Interestingly, in this story, the main roles are not played by humans, but by two trees, ginkgo biloba. Once upon a time, in the past, they were a kind of a Romeo and a Juliet, and this is how the little-known story begins. A river of people passes daily through the center of Negotino, but hardly anyone takes special interest in the beautiful shaggy tree, which has been able to defy climate change through the years. Except for the fact that almost everyone who passes by it, is happy that it exists and beautifies the space, as well as offering them some shade in the hot summer days. Admittedly, there are also those who know that its leaves can be used for medicinal tea, it gives us oxygen, protects us from dust. “From what we know, a few decades ago, a high-ranking politician in the former Yugoslavia, who was originally from Negotino, received two ginkgo seedlings from a Chinese delegation as a gift and sent them to be planted in Negotino. However, unfortunately, in Skopje, a citizen of another Macedonian city, interfered, took one of the seedlings and planted it in his hometown. In Negotino, the male seedling took root. Or, as we say, Negotino received its Romeo, separated from his Juliet. The seedlings were separated. These long-living and resilient trees are complete only when they are in pairs and only then are we able to see their fruits, which were very rare in the region at the time,” Sashko Todorov, president of the “Ekovita” environmental protection association from Negotino, tells MIA. Todorov, a biological engineer, recalled that several times in the past, the tree was in danger of being destroyed because of various reasons. However, biologists stood in the tree’s defense and did not allow for it to be cut down. “We can’t fix the mistakes of the past, as much as we would like to. If it’s any consolation, we, the environmentalists, planted over 50 ginkgo seedlings this spring. In that way, at least we tried to fix it,” says Todorov. He is adamant that such trees are a treasure and it is necessary to have as many of them as possible. Because, he says, they are almost like the lungs of a city. With them, he says, the city “breathes” more easily. If this story concerned people, we would now be talking about separations, yearning, unfulfilled desires, unrealized love. That, somewhere, perhaps, some Juliet is still waiting for her Romeo. But this story is about trees. And this tree spends its days in Negotino, as a silent witness to all the sad and happy moments of its citizens. If only it could speak, and tell us the true story of its life. That would be something to hear. Svetlana Darudova Translated by: Angel Dimoski