Radozhda village without regular public transport for over a month, municipality says a carrier applied for licence
Over 600 villagers lack a regular bus to Struga; local parents and pensioners call for an immediate, permanent line.
More than a month after the scheduled service ended, the village of Radozhda remains without regular public transport to the nearby town of Struga, leaving over 600 residents with limited mobility.
Parents say a minibus now comes twice a day for schoolchildren, provided by a different operator, but there is no reliable option for commuters, elderly residents or people who need medical care.
Local resident Gradimir Nestoroski described how villagers have been forced to find informal solutions. "Those who go to work organise themselves with cars, some wait for someone to pick them up. There are people who work and must get to work, there are sick, old, pensioners who have to go to the doctor. I see women waiting for someone to take them to work, old people who need to go to the doctor and have no transport. It is a shame in the 21st century that we don't have public transport. Radozhda is still a tourist place, but if this continues, in ten years we will become only a weekend settlement. Because of these and similar problems people are emigrating," he said.
Calls for a permanent timetable
Villagers stress the drop in population and reduced demand: currently there are only 30 schoolchildren from first to ninth grade and roughly two residents per household on average, they say. Previously, buses ran every one and a half to two hours; now people rely on private rides or ad hoc arrangements.
The Municipality of Struga confirmed active steps to restore the route and said a carrier applied for a municipal line licence "during the course of today." The municipality added that once it receives the required documentation and completes the procedure the operator will start servicing the Radozhda–Struga line immediately, and that it remains committed to ensuring regular and functional public transport for settlements in the municipality.
Residents say they want a simple solution: a regular, predictable connection so people can reach work, medical appointments and handle daily tasks without depending on informal lifts.
Photo: SDK.MK)
