The country’s automated traffic enforcement system was recognized for excellence in road safety, outperforming projects from Singapore, Abu Dhabi, Dubai and India’s Maharashtra state.
Macedonia’s Ministry of Interior has won first place in the “Excellence in Road Safety” category at the World Police Summit in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, for its “Safe City” project.
Interior Minister Panche Toshkovski announced the international recognition at a press conference, presenting the results of the system’s implementation and the progress made in improving road safety.
The Macedonian project was selected ahead of competing initiatives from the Singapore Police Force, Abu Dhabi Police, Dubai’s Roads and Transport Authority, and the police service of India’s Maharashtra state.
More than 700 nominations from over 60 countries were submitted across 13 categories for the World Police Summit awards. Winners are selected through an independent expert evaluation process that includes interviews and detailed assessments of technological and operational results.
“When we started with ‘Safe City,’ many doubted that a system that had been discussed for years would finally become operational. Today, I have the honor of announcing how far we have come. Macedonia has won first place in the Excellence in Road Safety category at the World Police Summit in Dubai,” Toshkovski said.
He emphasized that the award demonstrates Macedonia’s ability to implement modern reforms and achieve results recognized internationally.
“We know what Singapore represents when it comes to an efficient administration and technological development. We know what Dubai and Abu Dhabi represent in the application of technology to traffic management. But we have shown that Macedonia also has the capacity to achieve results recognized around the world,” the minister said.
Road fatalities and serious injuries decline
Toshkovski noted that the “Safe City” project had been discussed for years but had never been fully implemented. Following legislative changes, the digital integration of institutional procedures and the introduction of an automated traffic monitoring system, authorities established the conditions for more consistent enforcement of traffic regulations and equal treatment of all road users.
According to figures presented by the ministry, the number of road fatalities and serious injuries has fallen significantly.
Between January and October 2026, 85 people lost their lives on Macedonia’s roads, compared with 117 during the same period in 2025 and 119 in 2024.
That represents 32 fewer fatalities than in 2025, a decrease of 27.4%.
The number of people seriously injured also declined, from 872 in the first ten months of 2025 to 748 in 2026 — a reduction of 124 cases, or 14.2%.
An additional comparison covering February through October, following the start of the system’s implementation, showed that fatalities fell from 108 to 74. That is a decrease of 34 deaths, or 31.5%.
The minister attributed the progress to the combined impact of the “Safe City” system, intensified police enforcement, legislative changes and preventive activities.
“These results give substance to our nomination because we measure success by the reduction of dangerous driving and serious consequences, not by the number of fines collected,” Toshkovski emphasized.
Aiming for zero road deaths
Toshkovski also pointed to the scale of the road safety challenge, noting that 2,131 people have lost their lives on Macedonia’s roads over the past 15 years.
He thanked police officers, legal and technical teams, and citizens for their contribution, describing the international award as an additional incentive to further improve the system.
Future priorities include expanding monitoring to more high-risk locations and detecting additional dangerous driving behaviors.
The minister identified “Vision Zero” — a road system with no fatalities or serious injuries — as the country’s long-term goal. Achieving it, he said, will require continued investment, better infrastructure, public education and accountability across all responsible institutions.
“The award is recognition of the work completed, but responsibility for everything that is still not right remains entirely ours. As long as there is even one child who cannot safely cross a street, our work is not finished,” Toshkovski said.
The official award ceremony is scheduled to take place in Dubai on November 18, 2026.
