---
title: "A thousand stray cows in a city of 19,000: North Macedonia's Kriva Palanka requests state of emergency"
description: "In the North Macedonian city of Kriva Palanka, a stray herd of cattle has grown to over a thousand head. The mayor has requested a 30-day state of emergency due to the threat to residents' property."
date: 2026-11-14T14:38:26.948Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/kriva-palanka-stray-cows-emergency-state
tags: [kriva-palanca, north-macedonia, roaming-cattle, state-of-emergency, balkans]
author: "Roman V."
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# A thousand stray cows in a city of 19,000: North Macedonia's Kriva Palanka requests state of emergency

![Two cows grazing on grass in front of a residential building in Kriva Palanka](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/14/kriva-palanka-brodyaachie-korovy-chrezvychaynoe-polozhenie/kriva-palanka-brodyaachie-korovy-chrezvychaynoe-polozhenie-1.webp)

## Key Points

- The stray herd of cattle in Kriva Palanka has grown from 400 to over 1,000 head in four years.
- The animals destroy crops, damage fences, and pollute urban water supplies; one farmer lost over 20 tons of cabbage worth about 15,000 euros.
- A 2024 Food and Veterinary Agency decision to confiscate the herd from three owners remains unimplemented due to bureaucracy.
- Mayor Sashko Mitovski is asking the government to declare a 30-day state of emergency as local authorities lack the funds for animal capture and housing.

Under the cover of night, hungry animals descend from the surrounding hills to feast on fresh grass and flowers in city parks and gardens. This is the daily reality of Kriva Palanka, a North Macedonian town with a population of about 19,000, which has been struggling for years to cope with a stray herd of cattle. By now, according to local authorities, it has grown to over a thousand head and, as residents estimate, poses a direct threat to property and the livelihoods of citizens.

### A herd that doesn't fit in the city

Cows wandering the streets and outskirts eat crops, damage fences, compromise the cleanliness of the urban water supply and sidewalks, and create obstacles for motorists. Kriva Palanka Mayor Sashko Mitovski, in conversation with journalists, pointed to telling dynamics: "The number of cattle has grown from 400 to over 1,000 in four years." For a city of this size, it means that for every resident there are now not just one, but several dozen roaming animals, making the problem not local, but systemic.

### Damage measured in tons and thousands of euros

The burden of the herd is felt most keenly by local farmers. One of them recounted that last year, the animals destroyed over twenty tons of his cabbage, causing approximately 15,000 euros in damage. This is only one of many cases: according to residents, cows regularly ruin crops, break down fences, and pollute public spaces, turning farming in urban conditions into a pursuit with unpredictable risks.

### Bureaucratic deadlock: the 2024 decision remains unimplemented

Local residents point to the country's bureaucratic labyrinths as the key knot in the problem. According to them, it is precisely because of these that the 2024 decision by the Food and Veterinary Agency, which ordered the confiscation of the herd from its three owners, failed to be executed. Formally, a legal basis for seizing the animals exists; however, in practice, the mechanism did not work, and the cows continue to move freely through the city and its surroundings.

### 30-day state of emergency and resident protests

According to the mayor, the situation has become unbearable, and he has appealed to the government to declare a state of emergency for a period of 30 days. The mayor explained that such a measure is necessary because local authorities lack sufficient funds and capabilities to capture the animals and house them subsequently. He also added that residents are tired of years of inaction and are organizing protests to encourage authorities to take concrete steps. Thus, the issue of stray cattle in Kriva Palanka has turned from a domestic problem into a political one that requires resolution at the central government level.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Более 1000 бродячих коров терроризируют балканский город](https://ru.euronews.com/2026/11/14/roaming-cows-north-macedonia) - Primary source: population 19k, herd >1000 head, growth from 400 to 1000 over 4 years, farmer loss 20+ tons of cabbage / ~15k euros, 2024 Agency decision, mayor's request for 30-day emergency state.
- [Видео. Более 1000 бродячих коров терроризируют балканский город](https://ru.euronews.com/video/2026/11/14/roaming-cows-north-macedonia) - Video version of the same story: Kriva Palanka mayor asks for a 30-day state of emergency.
- [Более 1000 бродячих коров терроризируют балканский город](https://www.msn.com/ru-xl/news/other/%D0%B1%D0%BE%D0%BB%D0%B5%D0%B5-1000-%D0%B1%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4%D1%8F%D1%87%D0%B8%D1%85-%D0%BA%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B2-%D1%82%D0%B5%D1%80%D1%80%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8%D0%B7%D0%B8%D1%80%D1%83%D1%8E%D1%82-%D0%B1%D0%B0%D0%BB%D0%BA%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%B8%D0%B9-%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%BE%D0%B4/vi-AA2hqwks) - Euronews report repost with the same key facts (herd >1000, 30-day emergency request).

## FAQ

### Where is the problem with stray cows happening?

In the city of Kriva Palanka in North Macedonia, which has a population of about 19,000 people.

### How large has the herd become?

According to Mayor Sashko Mitovski, the population has grown from 400 to over 1,000 head in four years.

### What kind of damage are the animals causing?

Cows eat crops, damage fences, pollute urban water supplies and sidewalks, and obstruct traffic. One farmer lost over 20 tons of cabbage worth about 15,000 euros.

### What is the mayor requesting?

The mayor is asking the government to declare a 30-day state of emergency, as local authorities lack the funds and facilities to capture and house the animals.