Skopje's mayor Orce Gjorgjievski has announced that in the next 10-15 days, around 40 new trucks for waste collection will arrive, along with 2,600 new containers. It is a logistical answer to one of the biggest problems the city faces - the waste management system simply doesn't work.

„When I became mayor we had 16 trucks at our disposal, now that number is approximately 60”, Gjorgjievski says. A four-fold increase in the fleet sounds impressive. Except the number of vehicles is not the only problem. In February 2026, Skopje had around 11,000 tonnes of improperly dumped waste - bags that never made it to containers, containers that overflowed, rubbish thrown on the ground or into streams.

The point is: even if you have 100 trucks, if citizens don't follow the rules on separation and pickup times, the problem doesn't go away. That is a behavioural issue, not just a logistical one. And no tender fixes it.

Another core problem: the schedule. A large share of Skopje's houses and apartment buildings have no clear idea when a truck is coming. Schedules change without warning, containers stay full for two or three days, and it isn't unusual for residents to leave bags on the pavement because they had only a day or two to get rid of the waste. The system is run as if this were a big city in the 19th century, not the 21st.

The context you cannot ignore: Skopje is preparing to be European Capital of Culture in 2028. That means tourists, media, diplomats. Every one of them will see the bin bags piled outside the Cathedral, the overflowing containers in Debar Maalo, and the animals living off rubbish in Aerodrom. The branding of a tourist destination won't survive if this isn't sorted.

Buying 40 trucks and 2,600 containers is a decent first step. A one-off cost of several million euros. But the equipment is not the key. The key is: a) a systematic schedule that is actually followed; b) educating citizens about waste separation; c) penalties for those who break the rules; and d) transparency in how public services operate.

For now, we have two out of four. Equipment - yes. The stated intent for a systematic approach - allegedly. Education and penalties - not yet. And most important - citizens' trust that the city will actually keep its promises - that trust has been ground down for decades by the brute force of political campaigns. Gjorgjievski has a chance to win it back. Whether he does depends not only on him, but on whether the city's institutions can actually deliver a plan without party games.