Struzhana pay for lighting, and the streets are dark

Strujani have been moving through dark and unlit streets for the fourth month. The municipality claims that it wants to save on electricity in this way, but the citizens continue to pay on the bills they receive 184 denars for street lighting. Because of that, lawyers from Struga submitted an objection to the municipality, as the competent authority, with a request to correct the price that is delivered to households. But, they did not receive an answer.


"...We as an office appealed to the IRS, in the middle of December 2022, but we received a brief reply by e-mail from the IRS that they were not competent in relation to this issue...", said Gligorie Kjatoski-attorney.

The next step is a lawsuit against the damage to the Administrative Court.

"We plan to push this procedure to the end. The lack of public lighting contributed to an increase in the level of crime in the municipality, we have a large number of cases of people bitten by dogs, security is drastically reduced in public areas", said Gligorie Kjatoski-attorney.

EVN Home says that they only charge the utility fee according to the law, and they transfer the money to the municipality.

"Furthermore, the municipalities manage the funds themselves, and they serve to maintain public lighting and pay for the consumed electricity", they say from EVN HOME.

Otherwise, for 2021 year, EVN Home's collection of utility fees from users in Struga is 92%. That's why citizens react. They pay for public lighting, um the streets are dark.

"There should be some order. To establish some order, and not for some area to be in darkness all the time."

"It's a big shame too, and we also pay electricity. We pay for street lighting, and there is no street".
"This never existed. Never in my life before, 70 I will do for years, this one wasn't there."

"...The streets should be illuminated, to fix them, otherwise we are afraid to go out like this."

Mayor Merko says that the utility fee for public lighting will not be abolished. At the same time, street lighting restrictions will continue. from 8 January, the center of Struga and the villages will be illuminated until 4 in the morning. /By Miki Trajkovski – ALSAT