Fallen tree trapped plastic in the Vardar, exposing a new pollution problem near Jegunovce

A fallen tree lodged in the Vardar riverbed near Jegunovce created a makeshift barrier that trapped large amounts of discarded plastic and other waste, local authorities and residents say.

The same phenomenon — huge quantities of floating refuse in the Vardar — was previously recorded twice in several villages around Tetovo in the autumn of 2025. This time officials identified the immediate cause: a tree that had fallen into the channel and collected everything that arrived downstream.

The Municipality of Jegunovce intervened in recent days to remove the fallen tree and restore free flow of the river.

Local reaction and appeals

"I appeal to the citizens — both from the Municipality of Jegunovce and to all citizens who throw or otherwise harm the Vardar River. They do not harm only the Vardar, they harm all settlements, all citizens, and therefore I would appeal that this does not happen, because every household has a bin," said Dimitar Kostadinovski, mayor of the Municipality of Jegunovce.

Residents interviewed near the site said the main causes are careless individuals and insufficiently effective institutional measures.

"The situation can improve. It's up to the people. If the people improve their culture, the Vardar will improve too. And public waste companies should function better," said one resident.

"People should not throw [trash]. There's no need to throw into the Vardar when there are containers. We pay to the municipality; there are bins, as you can see," said another resident. A third added: "Now at night it stinks; we are close here. The smell is bad, and everything — sewage, car washes, people emptying onto the streets, I don't know what — everything is polluted. We used to drink water from the Vardar before."

As a preventive step, the municipality has installed video cameras at several locations to identify those who dump waste into the river.

Photo: press material from the event