The municipality of Aerodrom has issued construction firm „HSA-Construction" from Batinci a fine of 20,000 euros. The reason - one of the firm's trucks was caught illegally tipping construction rubble at the „Kupišta" site in Dolno Lisiče.

What makes the case unusual - mayor Dejan Miteski personally caught the driver in the act. Filmed video. And sent a message you rarely hear from municipal officials. „We will not allow the destruction of the environment and the creation of illegal dumps on the territory of the municipality."

The offence falls under Article 130 of the Waste Management Law. The firm has 8 days to pay half the fine - otherwise the full amount kicks in. 20,000 euros is a serious sum for a small or medium construction firm. And that is exactly the point.

Why does this matter? Because for the first time in recent years, a mayor is personally tracking and photographing illegal dumping - instead of leaving it to inspectors to quietly forget about the case. That is a signal not only to „HSA-Construction" but to every other construction firm in Skopje - that dumping in the wild can cost you serious money.

Aerodrom is not alone with the problem. The Skopje basin is full of illegal construction-waste dumps - along the Vardar, in the peripheral fields, in the scrubland around Saraj, Gjorče Petrov and Šuto Orizari. Many firms reckon it is cheaper to empty a truck in the woods than to drive it to an official landfill. Municipalities traditionally do not react, or react with token fines that do not even cover the lorry.

20,000 euros is a different signal. And if other municipalities follow Aerodrom's lead, maybe we will eventually see cleaner edges of Skopje. Until then - citizens are urged to photograph and report any illegal dumping. And municipalities - to find the nerve, like Aerodrom, to enforce laws that already exist.