The President of the Republic of Macedonia, Dr. Gjorge Ivanov today visited the fire affected areas in the vicinity of Bitola, accompanied by the Mayor of Bitola, Vladimir Taleski. He also met with the residents of village Rotino whose houses were threatened with the fire.
 
”We should commend the work of the Mayor and all competent institutions and the support of the Army of the Republic of Macedonia in responding efficiently and localizing the fire on time. I congratulate all involved persons and the local residents who cooperated in protecting the property and nature, helping preserve what we have inherited from the past for future generations”, said President Ivanov.

Satisfied with the intervention to extinguish the fire in the National Park Pelister, President Ivanov stressed that fires do not recognize national boundaries, therefore we need a regional response.

”With the helicopter and the aviation we have at our disposal for extinguishing fires we have demonstrated what kind of actions we should take whenever there are such disasters. At the meetings with the presidents of the region we set this issue at regional level, because fires, floods, earthquakes do not respect national borders. We must see this issue in a broader context. We should address natural disasters at regional level”, President Ivanov said.

The Mayor of Bitola Vladimir Taleski briefed President Ivanov that the comprehensive support of the local government has contributed to more efficient response in extinguishing the fire. He expects more concrete data soon by the state institutions investigating the fire, which is likely to be caused by a human factor, which resulted in 400 acres of pine and molika-pine forest burnt in the National Park Pelister during the weekend.