The municipality of Karpoš is getting a new green mark - the first phase of construction work on a new megapark covering a full 86,000 square meters is complete. A space that was previously neglected and overgrown is now getting paths, greenery and a landscaped area for citizens.

The megapark in Karpoš isn't the only one - under the same program for a greener city, new parks are being created in other municipalities too: 32,000 square meters in Ǵorče Petrov, 27,000 in Aerodrom and 30,000 in Chair. Together, that's a significant new green area for the city.

In the first phase in Karpoš, the walking paths are finished, greenery has been planted and the previously neglected space has been cleared. Parking for visitors, urban infrastructure and dedicated areas for pets are underway.

This is news worth welcoming - Skopje has for decades been drowning in concrete and polluted air, so every new park is literally space to breathe. Greenery isn't a luxury; in a city with some of the worst pollution levels in Europe, it's a matter of health.

The usual Skopje question remains - will the new parks be maintained the way they're opened, or will they fall into neglect again after a year or two. Opening a park is the easy half; the hard part is for it to stay a park, and not a neglected space with a sign saying there was once a plan. Until then, every new green square meter for Skopje is good news.