Bitola is getting new pedestrian traffic lights on Shirok Sokak - at the intersection by the "Goce Delchev" square and by the Stone Bridge. The works are being carried out at night, so as not to disrupt daytime traffic, and the goal is greater safety, especially in the summer months when the centre is at its busiest.

The lights are being installed at the intersections with "Dimitar Ilioski Murato" and "Solunska" streets, and the project was prepared by the city's public urban-planning enterprise. Alongside the lights by the Stone Bridge, a bigger change is also planned: the "Goce Delchev" square, currently used as a car park, is to become a pedestrian zone.

Before that, the municipality is announcing a citizens' forum where the people of Bitola will be able to say how they want the redesigned square to look. That is, at least on paper, a good model - asking the city before the concrete is poured, rather than after it's too late. The only question is whether the forum will really influence the decision, or whether it's there so they can say the public was asked. The people of Bitola, like all citizens, already know that some "consultations" are held only for the photo. This time, we'll see.