Skopje, 15 October 2025 (MIA) - SDSM's candidate for Skopje mayor, Kaja Shukova, said Wednesday that Butel Municipality has been waiting for real change for a long time - new streets, clean parks, connected neighborhoods and a municipality that listens to its citizens.

"I know that the people of Butel are tired of empty promises. That is why my vision is simple - work, results and responsibility. We will restore Serava as the pride of the community, a well-maintained riverbed, pedestrian and bike paths, and a green oasis instead of an illegal landfill. The new bridges and the overpass at the "8 Septemvri" Boulevard will connect Butel with the city center, shorten travel times and bring better public transportation," said Shukova, who is also the only woman candidate running for mayor of the capital.

She noted that with the intersection between "Slovenija" and "Nikola Karev" boulevards and the new boulevards, Butel will finally become an equal part of Skopje with modern infrastructure, lit streets and safe roads.

The residents of Butel, she pointed out, have an acute problem with a lack of drinking water and no one is doing anything about it. According to her, the problem cannot be resolved with cosmetic interventions during an election campaign.

"There is a systemic solution, a complete solution instead of offhand interventions whereby the problem will be resolved in one part of the municipality, but grow worse in another. The most important thing is that we will build a municipality where every resident is involved, a municipality that does not divide, but unites, because real change does not come with words but with deeds, and I am ready to work for Butel that has a vision, for Butel that will finally move forward," Shukova added. 

In response to a reporter's question on whether potable water loss can be repaired and how much is being lost according to data so far, she said estimates show that 60 percent of water is being lost, partly, she noted, due to the water supply infrastructure that has not been maintained for years.

"Once the BRT project is under way, the main water supply pipe will certainly be opened, and we will see what the possibilities and needs for repair are. Although several surveys have been made in recent years, unfortunately, no one has implemented them, no one has used those surveys. Also, in addition to water losses in the system, we have a problem with illegal connections and part of the water is being lost from there, and we also have a problem with the misuse of drinking water, water that we repurpose, and it should be exclusively drinking water for the citizens of Skopje," Shukova said. 

In response to a reporter's question on her plans to build 15 parks in 15 months, and whether it is feasible and what they will mean for Skopje, she said it was feasible, because the plans include the exact locations where work will be done. 

"Some of the parks will be new, some will be those that are in a devastated state and must be improved. What is interesting is that in addition to 15 parks in 15 months, I also announced 10,000 new seedlings, but for a change, we will also include fruit seedlings, to beautify Skopje a little. That was common 20, 30 years ago in Skopje. Let's bring back the practice again, and plant fruit seedlings in addition to evergreen and deciduous trees," Shukova added.

Photo: MIA