Gostivar fourth week without drinking water as probes continue

Gostivar has been under a drinking-water restriction for a fourth consecutive week as residents continue to rely on bottled water while authorities investigate the supply.

Investigations, court developments and local reactions

The Food and Veterinary Agency has prohibited use of the municipal water for drinking amid concerns the supply may be unsafe, and responsible institutions have opened procedures to examine water quality. The Public Prosecutor's Office said that in the case known as Talir 2 the competent public prosecutor received the first-instance verdict and filed an appeal.

Last month the Basic Criminal Court Skopje acquitted former prime minister Nikola Gruevski in the Talir 2 case, which had charged him with exceeding official powers and unlawfully funding the construction of the VMRO‑DPMNE party headquarters.

Oncology patients staged a protest today at the Ministry of Health over delayed therapies. Demonstrators said that "constant uncertainty" affects them regardless of who holds power; part of the therapy arrived yesterday while the remainder is expected in the coming days.

Officials expect fewer pupils in the 2026/2027 school year: preliminary counts point to about 3,000 fewer first‑grade pupils than last year, though the final number depends on a third round of enrolment in secondary schools, where declines are less pronounced.

Epidemiologist Dr. Dragan Danilovski advised that correct application of protective measures can minimise risks from West Nile fever and other mosquito‑borne diseases.

On the economic front, Granit AD Skopje reported strong unaudited standalone financial results for January–June 2026, published on the stock exchange. Separately, state power producer ESM completed a third coal purchase from an external supplier, signing a contract on 21 July for 150,000 tonnes of coal from Protergia Energy for the Bitola thermal plant.

Photo: press material from the event