
Grandma Vandja is gone
We must be soberly committed to solving pollution, using the experience and proven results of cities around the world that have tackled this global problem. The government of the Republic of Macedonia must seriously deal with this problem, because objectively the decision-making power and finances are under its control.
Polluted air, not only in Skopje but also in other cities throughout Macedonia, especially in winter days - becomes our everyday life, which we get used to as something most normal. Unfortunately, our health is paying the toll of pollution. As never before, we have been declared world champions, first in terms of air pollution! Skopje, Strumica and other cities in Macedonia carry the attribute of the most polluted cities in the world. We have witnessed that air pollution, despite certain measures taken by the local and central government, is still enormously high and life-threatening in the short term.
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In the title, with a dose of cynicism, I mentioned Baba Vandja, a woman who had a special gift in her visions to predict the future, but also to foresee solutions. We don't need Baba Vandja to predict an obvious social collapse with air pollution and to offer us a potential solution, so as civilized people we should solve this pollution problem in a systemic, most modern and efficient way.
As a person who spent a large part of his life outside of Macedonia, I had the privilege of comparing cities across Europe that at the time had the most polluted air, water and soil, and today are ecologically clean environments where citizens enjoy the advantages of a healthy environment. . I will mention the cities of Krakow and Katowice in Poland, the most polluted places in the former communist Republic of Poland. Today, those cities with their air are some of the cleanest in the world. I will also mention the city of Essen in Germany, where the largest production of ferrous metallurgy was concentrated, from the world-famous Krupp brand, with huge pollution. That city was declared the cleanest city in the world in 2007. Today, in Essen, that waste is isolated from contact with water, air and human presence. New hills have been built on the former landfills with permanent and rich greenery and with complete control of the waste that is stationed under the soil.
What have these cities done for their air?
They liquidated the entire dirty manufacturing industry. Imagine, the city of Krakow in Poland closed an ironworks with a capacity of 2 million tons of iron products per year, which basically means 6 times the capacity of an ironworks than the Ironworks in Skopje. They closed the coke batteries that produced 3 million tons of coke annually. Today, those old industrial buildings have been transformed into wonderful places to live, with business spaces, hotels, restaurants. The landfilled waste material from this industry was eliminated in a very rapid period. I mentioned only Krakow, but the same is true for all the cities across Europe where the basic and dirty industry was concentrated (not coincidentally called ferrous metallurgy).
When an ordinary person gets sick, the most important thing is the examination by expert doctors to determine the correct diagnosis and at the same time to offer drug treatments that should solve the health problem. Timely diagnosis is always the most important. The diagnosis in the case of air pollution throughout Macedonia must be made by experts in this field, who will detect the real cause of air pollution in the country and propose measures to eliminate it. The profession should give the last word and recommendations. We are witnessing that in Macedonia there are operating industrial capacities that have a harmful effect on air pollution, not respecting the already "thin" environmental standards. The Skopje Ironworks does not exist, but there are companies that work in the Skopje Ironworks and which are definitely complicit in air pollution. Landfills of waste material from all industries in the last 80 years have not been solved until today. That waste is among us, the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia. What is being done with the waste of Zhelezara Skopje, Topilnica-Veles, REK-Bitola, OHIS, Cementarnica, Oslomej-Kicevo, Jugokhrom-Jegunovce, Kuprum-Skopje and the waste from the once strong leather industry such as Godel, which have not been cleaned to this day.
Asbestos has been among us for decades! Unfortunately, we inhale its carcinogenicity every day. Strong, organized countries got rid of this kind of cancerous material 50-60 years ago. We, the citizens of the Republic of Macedonia, especially the people of Skopje, today drink water from this cancerous material inserted in the asbestos pipes. Not to mention that this same material is inserted in all constructions dating from not so long ago.
An immediate solution is necessary
The solution to this problem is not at all simple, but it is urgently necessary. The world's best companies, specialized in fully detecting the causes of air pollution in Macedonia with an offer for sustainable solutions, should be sought. Passivity leads nowhere! Findings that we are world leaders in air pollution mean nothing until something is done. Not only the air, a detailed analysis should be made of water and soil as well. It is the only way to get to the exact causes, how to build our future and eliminate all harmful actions on human health.
It is more than clear that many dirty industrial facilities should disappear or be relocated, such as Cementarnica – Skopje and many other small industrial facilities that pollute our environment with their production. There is no other way. We have a serious problem!
Grandma Vandja is gone today. But there are many prominent politicians and individuals who believe that this problem will resolve itself or believe in Vandja. We must be soberly committed to solving pollution, using the experience and proven results of cities around the world that have tackled this global problem. The government of the Republic of Macedonia must seriously deal with this problem, because objectively the decision-making power and finances are under its control. Therefore, I suggest that our prime minister, as one of the priorities, dedicate some of his time and hire advisers from abroad who have experience in solving such problems. That would be enough for a good start in the fight against the general pollution of the environment in our country.
(The author is a businessman and former mayor of Skopje)
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