Diver Bartlomiej Pitala declared honorary citizen of Skopje
The Polish diver reached 338 metres in the Vrelo cave during the international "Vrelo 2026" expedition and received the city's honour.
Polish cave diver Bartlomiej Pitala was declared an honorary citizen of Skopje after achieving a historic milestone inside the Vrelo underwater cave at Matka.
The City Council approved the honor at its session today, recognising Pitala's role in an expedition that reached 338 metres and set a new world record in underwater cave exploration.
International expedition and record
The record dive took place within the international expedition "Vrelo 2026", conducted with participation and support from diving teams from North Macedonia, Poland and Italy. With the 338-metre descent, the Vrelo cave became the deepest underwater cave explored by humans.
The City of Skopje said the award is intended as a token of gratitude for Pitala's contribution to promoting Skopje and Macedonia's natural heritage to an international audience.
Orce Gjorgjievski, the mayor of Skopje, published a message on Facebook praising the expedition and Pitala's achievement. He wrote: "On my behalf and on behalf of the Council, I express my great gratitude for the expedition, for the historic record and for the contribution to the global promotion of our city. With this honour, Skopje pays deserved respect to the man who pushed the boundaries of exploration and gave us another great reason for pride."
In a separate Facebook post Gjorgjievski added: "Mr. Pitala has left a mark on the history of Vrelo and in the heart of Skopje. From today, our city is also his! Skopje remembers and honours those who have indebted it with their deeds."
Photo: press material from the event
