Nation declares fire emergency due to heatwave, water debate escalates
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North Macedonia's government has declared a 30-day state of crisis nationwide due to the severe danger of fires. This emergency declaration comes as the country continues to grapple with a persistent and intense heatwave, with temperatures consistently above 40 degrees Celsius and forecasts indicating the extreme weather will last for at least another week.
In the political arena, a heated debate erupted in parliament concerning the ongoing Gostivar water pollution issue, involving Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski and opposition leader Venko Filipce. Meanwhile, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Zoran Dimitrovski publicly spoke out against what he described as "bullying tactics" from Bulgaria.
Other domestic stories include reports of significant queues at both southern and northern border crossings, causing delays of up to two hours, and a new report from the Association of Journalists of Macedonia highlighting online attacks and economic insecurity as ongoing threats to media professionals.