SDSM: Mickoski preparing five new mines and antimony exploitation — treats North Macedonia as loot

The opposition party SDSM accused on Tuesday that the government of Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski is preparing to open five new mines and exploit antimony, treating North Macedonia as loot, as the 48chasa portal reports.

According to the opposition’s statement, the mines in question are Ilovica–Shtuka, Kazandol, Plavica, Kadiica and Llukë, as well as geological surveys in Kozhuv and an antimony mine.

SDSM sees this as proof that those in power treat the country as loot for exploitation, and calls on the government to abandon the plans for new mines.

The issue of mining concessions has been at the center of public debate before: Mickoski has said antimony could increase the country’s strategic and economic importance, while environmentalists have given the government a deadline of September 29 to cancel the concessions.