North Macedonia: Kriva Palanka seeks help over 1,000 free-roaming cows

Recent footage shows cattle wandering through traffic, grazing in public parks and moving between houses, sometimes after dark. Local authorities in the north-eastern municipality of Kriva Palanka say the animals have caused extensive damage to farmland and municipal property, while residents fear unexpected encounters with the large livestock.

Mayor Saško Mitovski has asked the government to declare a 30-day state of crisis, warning that the situation has steadily deteriorated. According to the mayor, the number of roaming cattle has risen from around 400 five years ago to more than 1,000 today.

Many of the animals previously belonged to a single family, whose members were detained after allegedly obstructing an attempt by the Food and Veterinary Agency to confiscate the cattle. However, the animals were reportedly not placed in adequate shelters following the confiscation and have since continued roaming across the municipality.

Residents describe the situation as frightening, saying the cattle appear unexpectedly throughout the town. Municipal officials say they lack the resources and facilities needed to manage such a large herd. Mayor Mitovski hopes a temporary state of crisis would allow local and national authorities to coordinate resources, implement daily measures and find a lasting solution to the problem.