With the start of the winter season, the capital of North Macedonia, Skopje, is for another year among the most polluted cities in the world, according to data from the country’s Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning.

Among European capitals, only Sarajevo recorded a higher infection in the previous days.

Measurements made by monitoring stations in all municipalities of Skopje reveal that all urban areas have recorded high levels of air pollution.

According to data from the IQAir platform, last weekend Skopje was ranked 7th in the world in terms of air pollution.

Air quality measuring stations in the country recorded concentrations of harmful particles many times over the maximum permissible limits. In addition to Skopje, high levels of air pollution were also noted in other cities in North Macedonia, such as Tetovo, Gostivar and Strumica.

The increased pollution values ​​in Skopje are attributed to a combination of factors, typical for the winter season: from the use of firewood for heating in houses, the fog that prevents the removal of pollutants, as well as the geographical location of Skopje, which is “surrounded” from mountains, which prevents air circulation.

Skopje, with 600,000 inhabitants, is an industrial city with many factories built during the communist regime, when environmental standards were not taken into account. Today, several industrial facilities in the city are operating without meeting the specifications, while government controls are also absent.

Also, the aging car fleet and waste incineration in inappropriate places are part of the air pollution problem in Skopje.

North Macedonia has been one of the most polluted countries in Europe for years. Health authorities estimate that more than 4,000 people in this country of just two million die each year from the effects of air pollution.