Penev: The environmental agenda should come first

Slagjan Penev, from the organization FORUM, CSRD, in his address at the
Conference “Green Society for All”, reflected on the efforts of his organization for
changing the mentality, which has input among citizens, but less in the local
government.
We have remained to remind the new authorities of green values,
but unfortunately many of our comrades have disappointed.
In south-eastern Macedonia, they won power with efforts against
the mines, but the mines have remained, I am afraid that the new
government too will be in a coalition with the owners of the mines.

The administration of the City of Skopje, many things we advocated
for, closing of landfills, not building new buildings, new detailed
urban plans, has failed here.
Between the two rounds, Shilegov had a good announcement that
with the next detailed urban plan, he would try to dislocate USJE
and Zhelezara, but how much of that will the citizens believe.
The announcement for the opening of a regional landfill, despite the
support of the EU, was managed very poorly, it was presented very
poorly to the public.
Citizens do not have trust that the landfills will be according to world
standards, but that hazardous waste will be burned.
Lessons have not been learned, all the shortcomings of the ruling
structure at the local level cost them to lose many votes. The same
ones that fought against the tree cutting, are now doing that, many
tree lines were cut in Skopje, Butel, Cair.
The environmental agenda should come first.