Whoever dumps rubble and old furniture on Skopje's streets at night may soon pay for it. The mayor of the City of Skopje, Orce Gjorgjievski, announced that individuals caught last night illegally dumping rubble and waste have been located and recorded, after which they were ordered to report to the municipal offices. He also announced sanctions.

The scene is familiar to every resident of Skopje: beside a tree or on a pavement a pile of old chairs, cabinets, bags of construction debris appears - left under the cover of night by someone who decided the street is their landfill. The problem isn't new, but rarely does anyone end up fined. That's why the announcement that the culprits have been identified sounds almost unusual - usually such stories end with a photo of a pile of garbage and no consequence at all.

Whether there will be real sanctions, or just another call to "report to the municipality" after which nothing follows, we've yet to see. The difference is crucial. If the offenders really pay, the message to others is clear. If all of this ends with a warning and a pat on the back, then anyone who wants to dump rubble will soon do it again, because they've learned there are no consequences.

Illegal dumping isn't a trifle - it's a health and aesthetic problem, and a burden on the budget, because the cleanup is paid for by all citizens through the municipal purse. Those who tip out waste at night are in fact stealing from the shared pocket. So the sanctions, if they really are enforced, aren't revenge - they're simple justice: whoever makes the mess pays for it.