Kriva Palanka requests a 30-day crisis regime due to more than a thousand stray cows

A thousand cows on the city streets

In the northeastern municipality of Kriva Palanka in North Macedonia, cattle wander among cars, graze in public parks and walk between houses, sometimes even after dark. This is reported by Euronews citing footage and statements by local authorities: the animals have caused significant damage to farmland and municipal property, while residents fear unexpected encounters with large livestock and describe the situation as frightening.

A request for a crisis regime

Mayor Sashko Mitovski asked the government to declare a 30-day state of crisis, warning that the situation is steadily deteriorating. According to him, the number of stray cattle has grown from roughly 400 head five years ago to more than 1,000 today. Municipal officials say they lack the resources and infrastructure to manage such a large herd. The mayor hopes the temporary regime will allow local and national authorities to coordinate resources, implement daily measures and find a long-term solution to the problem.

A confiscation that did not solve the problem

Many of the animals previously belonged to one family, whose members were detained after, according to the authorities, they obstructed an attempt by the Food and Veterinary Agency to confiscate the livestock. However, according to reports, after the confiscation the animals were not placed in proper facilities, and since then they have continued to roam unchecked across the municipality. Thus, the confiscation measure itself did not resolve the problem: the animals remained at large, and the municipality, by its own admission, has neither the funds nor the premises to keep them. The publication does not report on the government's decision regarding the mayor's request.