One year after local elections, Struga still struggles with water, landfill and roads

One year after local elections, Struga remains confronted with persistent problems that marked the campaign of the newly elected mayor, Mendi Ćura. After four terms under Ramiz Merko, residents chose Ćura — an independent businessman backed by Vredi and VMRO-DPMNE — on promises of municipal modernization and better living conditions.

Water scarcity, landfill and bad roads

The most urgent challenge is the town's water supply. Last February Struga went a month without drinking water after contamination of its springs, but residents and utility officials say the difficulties run deeper: an ageing distribution network, frequent failures and reduced spring yields.

"We don't have water. We've had problems with water for a long time. A more concrete solution must be found, because we all know the springs are almost dry," residents say.

Public Enterprise Vodovod Struga says it inherited the utility with millions in debt, thin staffing and inadequate machinery, and that it is working to consolidate operations while carrying out network reconstruction and searching for a long‑term solution. "One option is to drill several wells across the town to use in crisis situations, and the second variant is a project that has been advocated for years, it costs a lot of money, but water has no price. It's a large investment, but if implemented with partners, the central government and the local authorities, Struga will secure its future for water," said Jovancho Mechkaroski, director of Public Enterprise Vodovod Struga.

Residents point to another chronic problem: the municipal landfill located some 2–3 kilometres from the town centre. Smoke and a persistent foul odour affect daily life. "The landfill is the main problem. It pollutes the water, the air, everything is polluted here from the landfill, which needs to be resolved immediately. A whole mountain has been formed, it's very noticeable in Struga, it stinks," residents add.

Street and road conditions are also on the list of complaints in a town that depends on tourism. "Infrastructure is a problem. This is a tourist town, that problem must be solved. Bad streets, roads," residents say.

Opinions among locals about the first year of Ćura's mandate are mixed. "Something is being done, it's good and work must continue. It's getting better," some residents say, while others remain unconvinced: "There is no improvement," says a woman from Struga. Expectations for the campaign promises to become visible reality, however, remain high.

Photo: press material from the event