Safe City: about 40 new cameras put into operation in the Ohrid region

The Safe City video-surveillance and traffic-control system has begun operating across the area covered by the Ohrid Police Department, with roughly 40 newly installed cameras put into service to monitor and record traffic violations in several municipalities of the country’s southwest.

Where the cameras are installed

The new network covers the municipalities of Ohrid, Struga, Kichevo, Debarca and Debar, and several important connecting roads. Cameras were positioned on busy urban streets, regional routes and stretches that carry heavy daily traffic, including parts of the Ohrid–Kichevo highway.

Special attention was paid to the routes from Ohrid to Struga and Debar and to the road leading to the Kafasan border crossing. Surveillance points also include roads to tourist settlements, Ohrid’s beaches and the approach to Sveti Naum, locations that see sharp increases in vehicle flow during the tourist season.

The installed equipment can register a range of traffic offences: exceeding the speed limit, illegal parking and running red lights at intersections. Officials say the placement focuses on sections where speeding and other risky behaviour occur more frequently.

Ohrid Police expect the system to act preventively — the mere presence of cameras should encourage better discipline and more cautious driving. "I appeal to drivers of passenger and other motor vehicles to comply, to respect the speed limits and, of course, to see Safe City as a partner. In terms of increased traffic safety, let us jointly take care of the lives of our companions, of our lives and of the lives of other road users," said Stefan Dimovski, spokesperson for the Ohrid Police Department.

Police officials stress that obeying traffic rules must become everyday practice regardless of whether a particular road is covered by cameras. They particularly urge drivers to adjust speed to road conditions, obey traffic signals and avoid parking where they obstruct normal traffic flow.

Authorities say the main goal is not only detecting and sanctioning violations but also reducing the risk of road crashes. The true impact of the expansion will be evaluated over time using data on registered offences, driver behaviour and accident statistics.

Photo: press material from the event