A growing herd of over 1,000 roaming cattle is causing widespread havoc across the farming town of Kriva Palanka in northeastern North Macedonia. Descending from surrounding hills primarily under the cover of night, the hungry animals have destroyed crops, damaged private property, and created serious public safety risks for the municipality's roughly 19,000 residents.
Local officials and residents report that the unchecked herd has expanded dramatically in recent years, growing from 400 animals four years ago to more than 1,000 today. The cattle freely roam across 34 surrounding villages, destroying agricultural livelihoods and creating ongoing hazards along a key highway that connects the region to neighboring Bulgaria.
The agricultural destruction has dealt severe blows to local farmers. Lazo Stamenkovski, a 71-year-old pensioner living on the outskirts of Kriva Palanka, said the wandering cattle have destroyed more than 150 trees in his orchard while repeatedly ruinous to his garden produce. He added that the animals routinely stray onto the main road leading to Bulgaria, creating dangerous traffic conditions for motorists.
Beyond agricultural losses, it's not just crops that are threatened. Residents say the wandering cows pose a serious risk to the town's water supply and to drivers on a road that leads to neighboring Bulgaria. Mayor Sashko Mitovski noted that several cattle died near the municipality's primary water sources last year, creating potential risks of water contamination. Frustrated by systemic institutional inaction, residents have staged protests to demand immediate government intervention.
Mitovski has formally requested that the conservative government led by Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski declare a 30-day state of emergency in Kriva Palanka. According to the mayor, declaring an emergency would provide the municipality with necessary funding and legal resources to permanently resolve the bovine crisis, as municipal authorities currently lack the legal standing to intervene independently.
At the center of the dispute is North Macedonia's Food and Veterinary Agency. In 2024, the agency issued an official order to seize the entire herd from its three owners, technically making the cattle agency property. However, municipal authorities charge that the agency has systematically failed to enforce its own order. Mitovski explained that a crisis management headquarters was convened after conclusion that no responsible state institution had shown the willingness, commitment, capacity, or resources to address the issue.
Legal enforcement efforts have also broken down in court. Last year, authorities charged and detained one of the cattle owners for allegedly obstructing an agency operation to seize the animals. However, the owner was released from custody after an agency inspector testified in court that no obstruction had taken place during the attempted seizure. Mitovski described the situation as an interconnected system involving serious wrongdoing by multiple individuals, making accountability difficult to pinpoint.
The financial value of the roaming herd is currently estimated between 360,000 and 570,000 euros ($385,000 to $610,000) based on prevailing livestock market prices. Local residents highlight the economic contradiction in a nation of 1.8 million people where at least one-third live in poverty. Venka Nikolovska, a 59-year-old housewife from Kriva Palanka, pointed out that North Macedonia continues to import meat, milk, vegetables, and fruit while over a thousand cows roam unchecked, destroying domestic farms.
Nikolovska placed the blame squarely on successive state administrations, stating that both people and animals are suffering as a result of administrative failures. Tensions on the ground have led some angry residents to beat or slaughter roaming cows. Meanwhile, others maintain humor despite the loss of property; one resident standing on a bridge over the local Kriva Reka river joked about the cows eating his flowers: “Next time, I’ll prepare a flower salad and invite the cows to a party,” he said. A government spokesperson did not immediately respond to an AP request for comment Friday evening.
