Womens' Day Brings Protest of Balkans Most Polluted City

By Natasa Dokovska

VELES, Republic of Macedonia, March 10, 2003 (ENS) - The association of womens' organizations in Macedonia together with other 120 nongovernmental organizations from across the country, on Saturday organized a meeting in the center of Veles to say no to toxics in the city. The event in this city of 67,000 people was held to mark International Women’s Day.

More than 1,000 women came from across Macedonia to Veles, where they were joined by Veles Mayor Ace Kocevski and Macedonian Environment Minister Ljubomir Janev in their revolt against uncontrolled pollution in Veles.

Veles is located on the main route linking Central Europe with the Aegean. (Photo courtesy Open Society Institute)

Environment Minister Janev, who took the position only three months ago, says the government will take all possible action to stop the pollution in Veles, where every day young people die from leukemia or cancer.

Most of the factories in the city are closed for economic reasons, but Janev promised the citizens of Veles that the government will close the few factories which are still operating. Among them is Topilnica Veles, a smelter for zinc and lead, which is the biggest polluter in Veles.

Saying that the citizens of Veles cannot wait, Mayor Kocevski has sued the state of Macedonia because there is still no solution to the contamination of Veles. “For more than 30 years, the citizens of Veles are terrorized by 15 companies in the middle of the city which have been identified as the major polluters. We can wait yet, because our children are dead,” the mayor said. He asked that Minister Janev either move the Topilnica Veles smelter or close it.

Mayor Kocevski's lawsuit against the state of Macedonia asks €2 million for finding solutions to combat the pollution in Veles. He has promised the citizens of the city that if the Macedonian court does not accept his application, he will sue Macedonia before the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, France.

Environment Minister of Macedonia Ljubomir Janev (Photo courtesy Government of the Republic of Macedonia)

Veles is responsible for 10 percent of the entire amount of sulfur dioxide emitted in the Republic of Macedonia. In a circle 7,000 meters (4.5 miles) out from the Topilnica Veles lead and zinc smelter all is polluted.

Lead levels are seven to 16 times greater than allowed. Cadmium concentrations are 25 times more than permitted; zinc levels are five to nine times greater than allowed.

More than 10 percent of the Veles children between eight and 10 years old are predisposed to get leukemia.

Mortality from respiratory diseases has increased 179 percent.

The sperm count of Veles men is the lowest in the Balkans.

Savka Todorovska, president of the association of womens' organizations in Macedonia, says that for many years on March 8 women have demanded womens' rights, but now Macedonian women are meeting to demand life in a healthy environment, which is a basic human right.