Mayor Orce Gjorgjievski announced what Skopje residents have been waiting for years: the Vardarishte landfill will be completely closed, and a new mega-park will be built in its place. "The degassing process has begun, bringing us one step closer to Skopje's new green lungs," he stated.

Specifically: waste gases are being collected from 22 boreholes, parallel with thorough surface cleanup. The goal is complete transformation of the landfill into green space.

The announcement comes after a fire at Vardarishte just days ago - following 7 months without incidents. The fire was a reminder that the landfill remains an active ecological threat, regardless of promises.

Skopje has been hearing promises about closing Vardarishte for years. Every mayor had a "plan." The question isn't whether Gjorgjievski is sincere - the question is whether this time the budget, timeline, and reality will align. Skopje residents are used to promises - belief is another matter entirely.