Macedonia’s Ombudsman has opened a case on his own initiative to investigate how the drinking water supply in the western town of Gostivar became contaminated, triggering a public health crisis that has sickened thousands and exposed serious weaknesses in the country’s water management infrastructure. The Ombudsman’s office said it had received written information from the Institute of Public Health, the Municipality of Gostivar, the public utility company Komunalec, and the Center for Public Health, but found the submissions incomplete and lacking important information about the pollution. The office said it would contact additional competent institutions to obtain specific details and determine how citizens’ right to clean drinking water was compromised.
The investigation comes as the Gostivar water crisis has developed into one of the most serious public health emergencies in Macedonia in recent years. More than 3,100 people have reportedly become ill since mid July after fecal bacteria contaminated the municipal water supply, with reported symptoms including severe gastroenteritis, vomiting and diarrhea. A local epidemic was declared, while the government began delivering 50,000 liters of drinking water to residents each day as authorities worked to address the contamination.
The Gostivar water crisis has also prompted a criminal investigation. The Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Gostivar opened a case on July 20 against three employees of Komunalec, including acting director Artana Asani, a technical manager and the head of the department responsible for water supply, sewerage and construction. Authorities suspect serious offenses against the environment and nature after harmful substances were allegedly introduced into an overflow chamber serving Gostivar and surrounding villages, leaving the water unsafe for consumption.
Investigation Raises Questions About Water Management
The investigation has raised concerns that the contamination may have lasted for approximately three weeks before authorities took action. Officials are also examining reports that an illegal pump may have been installed in the main water supply system. If confirmed, those findings could point to significant failures in oversight and maintenance rather than an isolated technical problem, increasing pressure on institutions to establish how the contamination occurred and why it was not detected earlier.
The Ombudsman’s intervention has added another layer of institutional scrutiny to the crisis. The investigation is intended to establish whether citizens’ right to clean drinking water was violated, a right recognized under national legislation and international agreements. The office’s decision to seek additional information from government bodies also suggests that authorities are examining not only the source of the contamination but the broader institutional response.
Civil society and anti corruption organizations have also raised concerns about the incident. Transparency International included the Gostivar crisis among the most controversial developments in its July 2026 Corruption Barometer, describing it as a serious indicator of possible systemic weaknesses. The concerns are particularly significant given broader criticisms of Macedonia’s environmental governance and institutional capacity.
The European Commission’s 2025 progress report highlighted insufficient capacity and a shortage of qualified staff working on environmental issues, along with weaknesses in environmental impact assessments and monitoring that does not fully meet EU standards. Macedonia has also faced criticism over the limited use of environmental crime investigations despite the introduction of a new Criminal Code more than a year ago.
Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski said this week that Gostivar’s water remains unsafe for drinking and should be used only for technical purposes, with water quality continuing to fluctuate. The combination of the Ombudsman’s investigation, the criminal probe and pressure from civil society now places the Gostivar water crisis at the center of questions about public health, environmental oversight and institutional accountability.
For Macedonia, the case is also a test of whether commitments to stronger governance and European integration can translate into effective protection of citizens’ basic needs. Establishing what caused the contamination, determining whether negligence or other wrongdoing was involved, and ensuring that the water system is safe will be crucial steps in restoring public confidence and preventing a similar crisis in the future.
