Municipality of Centar “punished” on “Tree Day”

Today the 17-th action for reforestation was carried out, which was organized across the entire territory of Macedonia. The Government in cooperation with “Macedonian forests” provided 2,620,000 seedlings, to be planted on 500 hectares of land. Of the hundreds of thousands of seedlings intended for reforesting urban areas, the Municipality of Centar was given only 120 trees!

The distribution of trees, according to the Mayor of Skopje, Koce Trajanovski, was made according to the rate of air pollution in certain regions. The greatest emphasis was put on Skopje, Bitola, Kicevo and Tetovo. Around 1,500,000 seedlings were planned for Skopje, of which 265,000 for the urban part of the city. Of the two million seedlings provided for reforestation of urban areas, 120 trees were distributed to the Municipality of Centar, 50 Thuja Smaragd and 70 Thuja Woodwardii?! If one takes into consideration the number of trees distributed to the Municipality of Gjorce Petrov – 85,293 seedlings, then the following question is raised: is the Municipality of Center the least polluted municipality in Skopje, or is the distribution of trees made according to other criteria that are not accessible to the public?

The Mayor of the Municipality of Centar, Andrej Zernovski, reacted strongly on the social media regarding the distribution of trees, accusing the government of wanting to “gain” points during the election campaign:

“Dear Centars, today is ‘Tree Day’ and you have the right to know the TRUTH! The state, through ‘Macedonian Forests’ has different standards for the units of local self-government, and so it self-willingly decides – which municipalities will receive trees and how many for greening of the space. The Municipality of Aerodrom is receiving 22.770, the Municipality of Gjorce Petrov receives 85.293, the Municipality of Gazi Baba 67.905, whereas Kisela Voda 30.000 trees. Believe it or not, this year the Municipality of Centar is receiving only 120 (in words: one hundred and twenty) trees. The Government, through this action as well, is punishing the citizens of Centar. For Gjorce Petrov - 85.293, while for the Municipality of Centar, in which the government and the City of Skopje have carried out the most brutal cutting of trees, an “entire” – 120 trees. Hence, 710 times more trees for planting have been sent to Gjorce Petrov, than to Centar?! The residents of Centar have an equal right to clean air! Even in a pre-election period, when the government aims to “gain” points in every possible way, the citizens have the same rights. Regardless of this governmental autocracy, we will continue further to take maximum care for a healthy environment and for more greenery”, wrote Zernovski.

“The Mayor of the Municipality of Centar was invited, but did not attend the coordination meetings with the mayors of the municipalities of the City of Skopje and with the Mayor of the Municipality of Skopje, on the occasion of ‘Tree Day’”, is stated in the denial of the PE “Macedonian Forests”. According to the Public Enterprise, following the coordination meetings that were held, a person from the Municipality of Centar came to them with a request for 120 trees to be allocated to that municipality, and “Macedonian Forests” respected that. “The statement given by Andrej Zernovski is evil-minded, tendentious, does not correspond to the truth and is made with the purpose of discrediting the reputation”, was announced from “Macedonian Forests”.

Ivana Taleska