Bitola and Prilep have opened nominations for their highest municipal honours - the "4th of November" and the "3rd of November" awards. Anyone can nominate: legal entities, civic associations, groups of citizens and individuals. That matters, because the award formally does not belong to the municipal administration but to the community doing the nominating.

Bitola - two deadlines, two categories

The "4th of November" award is given for significant achievements in the economy, science, art, culture, education, health and social care, sport, technical culture and environmental protection. There are two categories: an annual one, for achievements between 1 August 2025 and 31 July 2026, and a lifetime achievement award - a complete, sustained body of work.

The annual award goes to both legal entities and individuals. The lifetime achievement award goes to a single individual only. Nominations run from 11 September to 12 October 2026, until 15:30, and are submitted to the Managing Board of the Award Fund at 61 "1st of May" Boulevard in Bitola.

Prilep - the deadline is shorter

The Municipality of Prilep has opened its call for the "3rd of November" awards and for the lifetime achievement honour. Achievements in social, economic, cultural-artistic and political life are considered, along with contributions to the city's development and promotion. The period assessed runs from 3 November 2025 to the day of submission.

Nominations go to the Commission for Marking Significant Events, Figures and Holidays at the Municipal Council, at 1 "Prilep Defenders" Street. The deadline is 9 October 2026 - three days before Bitola's, worth remembering if you are nominating in both cities.

The municipalities want nominations argued and specifically explained. That is the point at which these competitions either live or die. If the only nominations come from institutions obliged to submit them, the award becomes an internal matter for the administration. If citizens nominate, it becomes what it is supposed to be - a way for a city to say for itself who it considers its own.