Ohrid opposition and activists demand joint action to save Bukovo landfill

The controversy over the Bukovo landfill has resurfaced in Ohrid after a series of recent fires that have raised public concern.

Opposition councillors have asked the Municipal Council to call an urgent extraordinary session and invited civic activists to attend so they can jointly seek fast, practical solutions for the long‑standing problem. They say that despite repeated promises to fully close the non‑standard Bukovo site, the Municipality has so far relied only on temporary measures.

Civic groups demand swift, concrete steps; local authorities have proposed a public debate but only after renovation work on the municipal assembly hall is finished. Mayor Kiril Pecakov acknowledges that "the mere dumping of earth is not a final solution for preventing fires," but says the practice will continue, with a planned 15,000 cubic metres of soil allocated for next year.

The Municipality reports that a project for lighting, fencing the area and imposing a strict ban on access by unauthorised persons is complete, but implementation has been postponed until next year due to lack of funds.

Closure tied to regional landfill in Novaci

Definitive closure of Bukovo remains contingent on the opening and operation of a regional landfill in the Municipality of Novaci — a project that has been stalled for years by delayed procedures and administrative hurdles.

Local officials say that once the regional facility becomes operational, they will immediately begin work to close Bukovo. To reduce the financial burden on the municipal budget they plan to cooperate with Slovenian companies with long experience in the field and to seek support from European funds.

Photo: press material from the event