Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, has been thrown into chaos as a result of a severe shortage of buses for the city’s public transport system. Following a fuel crisis that left the public transport company, JSP, unable to operate a significant portion of its fleet, citizens have been left stranded at bus stops for hours for two days, as temperatures plummet. 

The government was forced to step in, providing oil from state reserves to cover JSP’s fuel needs for the next seven days, but it is unclear what the long-term solution will be. 

During an extraordinary session of the Skopje city council, mayor Danela Arsovska explained that the crisis was not due to poor management at JSP, but rather a delay in public procurement processes overseen by the Public Procurement Bureau. The shortage of oil meant that only around 30 buses were running in Skopje, causing severe disruptions to commuters.

This crisis is the latest in a series of transport issues for the city. Earlier this year, public transport was brought to a halt for an entire day in February when JSP workers went on strike due to unpaid wages. In 2022, private transport companies also went on strike for several days after the city failed to pay them for services rendered.

The current crisis has been worsened by a sudden fall in temperatures in the past week, following an unusually warm summer and a spring-like October and early November. Many Skopje residents were forced to call taxis to reach work or school. Some car owners have started offering transport through public networks to help those unable to rely on buses.

The majority of Skopje’s citizens blame the problem on Arsovska. Arsovska was elected as an independent candidate with the support of the opposition party VMRO-DPMNE at the time. However, her alliance with the party dissolved after she assumed office.

The head of the JSP union, Mico Stojanovski, stressed that the current crisis should not be blamed on JSP employees, suggesting that the problem stemmed from political conflicts within the city council. He claimed that tensions between the ruling party and the mayor’s office were contributing to the transport woes.

Private carriers, who operate around 200 buses, have offered to assist with the shortage. However, they have been running services only in the afternoon due to a debt of over €2mn owed by the city.

Protests are planned for November 22 in front of Skopje's city council as residents continue to voice their frustration over the ongoing transport issues.

In response to the crisis, Martin Stojanovski, a city councillor from the ruling VMRO-DPMNE, highlighted that the city government has allocated substantial funds to JSP, including MKD 645mn (€10.5mn) in subsidies this year alone. Despite these efforts, the public transport system has continued to struggle, with reports from July revealing that only 200 buses are currently operational — down from 350 in 2012.

The ongoing disruptions illustrate the pressing need for investment and reform in Skopje’s public transport system, which continues to face significant operational challenges.