Kumanovo raises city bus fares by 15 denars from Jan 1, 2027; seven lines cut

The Kumanovo Municipal Council voted to raise fares for the city bus network by 15 denars effective January 1, 2027, and to reduce the number of regular lines from 26 to 19 as part of a five-year arrangement for municipal passenger transport. The move follows the expiry of contracts with the existing carriers at the end of the year.

New zonal tariff and route reduction

Lida Lang-Spasovska, head of the Department of Communal Affairs, told councilors that ticket prices have not changed since 2019 and that carriers repeatedly requested an adjustment because of higher fuel costs and the rise in the minimum wage.

Lang-Spasovska outlined the maximum zonal prices proposed by the council: "In the first zone up to four kilometers the ticket will cost 50 denars, the second up to seven kilometers 60 denars, the third up to 10 kilometers is 80 denars, the fourth up to 15 kilometers 100 denars, the fifth zone up to 20 kilometers 120 denars and for the sixth zone up to 30 kilometers 140 denars. Prices are without VAT. Carriers are obliged to unify and align the price by zones based on the methodology. I note that these prices are maximum and do not mean they will be realised in the field. If the price of oil falls, we have the right to change this decision and reduce the price of transport," she said.

Opposition councilors sharply opposed the decision, warning it would further strain household budgets and those who rely on public transport to reach work. Councilor Vittorio Zafirovski of Levica said: "This decision hits hardest the category of citizens who depend on this transport to carry out their work duties. Instead of the interest of citizens, which you as local authorities should represent, you protect the carriers. Not only does the transport get more expensive, but the lines are reduced by 37 percent. That means thinning of transport and the family budget to the maximum."

Blagojche Jacimovic (NSDP) argued that part of the increased cost stems from the state's provision of free transport for primary and secondary school students, financed via block grants, and that significant funds will flow to private carriers supported by the mayor. SDSM proposed an amendment to delay any fare rise until the minimum wage reaches 36,000 denars, but the amendment was rejected. SDSM councilor Tomica Ilic warned the opposition would not accept the decision and noted that fewer lines will reduce costs for future carriers, which in their view negates the need for higher fares.

Councilors also criticised the current quality of services: missing bus stops on many streets, passengers picked up from unsafe locations, no clearly posted timetables, irregular services on some routes, an insufficient number of buses and minibuses, some vehicles that are old and unsafe, and no service on Sundays or public holidays. Opponents reminded the council that the municipality spent more than four million euros over three years on free transport and said the fare increase comes under pressure from carriers just one year after elections when free transport had been promised to continue.

Councilors in the majority said that refusing the requested higher fares could risk carriers not applying and leaving the municipality without public transport for the next five years; they also recalled that five years earlier the then-government allowed a five-denar increase. The decision introduces a new rule: regular students and pupils will receive a 50 percent discount on full-day passes.

The public procurement notice to select new carriers will be published in November. One of the mandatory requirements for bidders is to operate buses equipped with ramps to ensure accessibility for persons with disabilities. After publication of the new prices some residents on social media said they may return to using informal "wild" taxi services, which are cheaper but operate without waiting or orderly boarding.

Photo: SDK.MK)