Skopje, 6 July 2025 (MIA) - It is time to return Skopje to its citizens and build a city that we and the generations to come will be proud of, said incumbent Kisela Voda mayor Orce Gjorgjievski after being unveiled as VMRO-DPMNE's candidate for mayor of the country’s capital on Sunday.

Gjorgjievski said as of Monday he would begin the process of creating the platform that he would run on at the local elections in October. The focus, he said, would be on fixing “the traffic chaos, illegal landfills and the issue of cleanliness in the city”.

“Simply put, the city is filthy. There is no street, no neighborhood where there are no issues with cleanliness. This is something that bothers the citizens of Skopje the most, not just the past four years, but several years back. We can’t find a significant difference between [former Skopje mayor] Petre Shilegov’s governance of the city and [current mayor] Danela [Arsovska]’s. There is almost no difference between the two. What has been happening in the past few years is a disaster for all of us as citizens of the capital... I will do my utmost to realize everything that will be included in my program during the four-year term. This will include projects aided by the Government – which we expect significant assistance from, and we believe there will be a lot of projects realized. Skopje will become one big construction site, which, unfortunately, is not the case today,” Gjorgjievski said.

The current Mayor of Kisela Voda vowed to “resurrect” Skopje after the elections.

“I am absolutely aware of the state of Skopje. I am absolutely aware of the devastation in the city, but I am also ready to once again resurrect Skopje after the elections and ensure it finally becomes a city for a dignified life for all our compatriots, a city without divisions,” Gjorgjievski stressed.

Photo: MIA