Skopje, 5 January 2026 (MIA) — To help people breathe clean air in their homes during the winter, households need to be provided with reliable sources of heat like central heating instead of having to use wood-burning stoves; and indoor air should be kept clean in all preschools, schools and hospitals through good heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems with filtration, Skopje City Council chairman Dame Dimitrovski said at a special session councillors held earlier Monday.

"This council has voted to purchase air purifiers for 400 classrooms in Skopje high schools," Dimitrovski announced. 

"They will be purchased and distributed this month," he added.

He also urged the industry to follow European quality standards for ambient air and the local authorities to step up inspections.

"Industrial capacities in Skopje are our neighbors and they need to show some honesty, through public and transparent presentation of continuous measurements. We ask the industry to apply European practices in technology, measurements and data disclosure," Dimitrovski said.

"There will have to be monitoring of all major polluters, including industry, households, traffic, illegal landfills and the hospitality industry," he said, urging environmental authorities to develop a new Plan to Combat Air Pollution. 

"This plan should analyze the impact of all polluters; register all chimneys in the valley; analyze the results of all measures implemented over the past; and define measures and actions that can help the city," he said. mr/