I took this photograph in 2019, after my friend Bojan Pavlov first noticed the view. We were searching for a place that could capture the paradox of modern urban life—where everyday living coexists with an overwhelming industrial presence. 

I didn’t hesitate to take the shot. Seconds later, the owner of the house stepped outside, clearly unhappy to find us standing above with a camera. He looked at us and asked, in a firm, almost confrontational tone: “Who are you working for?” 

What followed was a long conversation. We tried to reassure him, explaining that this was part of a personal documentary project, nothing more. Gradually, the tension eased. After a while, he introduced himself—and, unexpectedly, he turned out to be a parliamentarian in North Macedonia. 

There was something striking, almost ironic, in that moment. A representative of the people was standing right in front of one of the most pressing issues affecting them—yet, even today, no real solution has been found. 

Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia, counts more than 70,000 household chimneys that fill the air with smoke each winter. Yet these dispersed sources of pollution do not hold the record. 

Just five kilometers from the city center stands Cementarnica Usje, a cement factory frequently identified as one of the largest contributors to air pollution in the capital. For over 25 years, it has been a pillar of employment in a fragile economy. At the same time, its towering chimneys have become a growing concern for the surrounding population, raising questions about the cost of industrial stability. 

Skopje’s geography intensifies the problem. The city lies in a basin, enclosed by mountains, stretching roughly 25 kilometers east to west and 8 kilometers north to south. This natural enclosure traps pollution, preventing it from dispersing. 

Each year, an estimated 2,574 people die prematurely due to air pollution, according to the World Health Organization and its BreatheLife initiative. The scale of the crisis is both environmental and deeply human. 

Emission monitoring reports published by Cementarnica Usje provide data on particulate matter, nitrogen oxides, and sulfur dioxide. However, they do not include concentrations of heavy metals, despite the fact that the combustion of petroleum coke at the plant may release such pollutants into the air. 

According to civic initiatives, pollution from the factory may include a wide range of harmful substances: fine particles, sulfur, nitrogen and carbon oxides, volatile organic compounds, metals and their derivatives, halogen compounds, dioxins and furans, as well as ammonia—alongside less visible but pervasive effects such as noise, vibrations, and odors. 

In January 2023, the City of Skopje filed a criminal complaint against Cementarnica TITAN Usje, alleging that the plant emitted significantly higher concentrations of PM10 particles and other pollutants than permitted. Authorities classified the case as a serious offense against the environment and public health under the Criminal Code. 

Although there have been proposals to relocate the factory, such a scenario remains unlikely in the near future. The scale of its infrastructure, combined with its economic importance, offers it a form of protection—one that is ultimately paid for through environmental degradation and public health risks. 

Each winter, as households begin heating their homes, the situation worsens dramatically. With little wind, dense fog settles over the city, trapping pollutants in a thick, stagnant layer. During temperature inversions, when warm air sits above colder air, pollution becomes sealed in place, forming a toxic cloud over a population of nearly 700,000 people. 

As a result, Skopje regularly ranks among the most polluted cities in Europe—a place where geography, industry, and everyday life converge into a persistent environmental crisis.