Gostivar water contamination crisis persists as analysis due August 20

A water‑contamination outbreak in the Macedonian city of Gostivar has left thousands ill and prompted a ban on using tap water for drinking since 17 July. Residents have been supplied with bottled water while health officials investigate the source of the contamination.

Health Minister Sasho Klekovski announced that a comprehensive analysis of the drinking‑water quality will be published by 20 August. He said the epidemic is moving out of its acute phase, with daily new cases of gastrointestinal illness falling from 40‑80 to pre‑epidemic levels of 25‑100. The ministry’s expert team, together with the Public Health Centre, the Institute of Public Health, the Food and Veterinary Agency and the Crisis Management Centre, is compiling a chronological report.

Opposition party SDSM has accused senior officials—including Minister of Health Klekovski, former health minister Christian Micovski, Interior Minister Panche Toskovski and rescue director Stojanche Angelo—of negligence and alleged a 100,000‑euro water‑supply contract awarded without a public tender. The water is currently deemed suitable only for technical use, while investigations into the contamination and possible criminal responsibility continue.