A Cross-Border Partnership for a Cleaner Environment

Seeing tangible results on the ground is what makes us truly proud. One of the project financed through our programme is “Less Waste, Less Risk, More Health” brought lasting improvements to the municipalities of Lipkovo in North Macedonia and Preševo in Serbia. With EU support, the partners joined forces to improve solid waste management and protect the environment.

Two new waste collection trucks, more than twenty large containers, and over 1,700 small household bins were purchased, making regular waste collection possible even in remote areas. For many families, this meant access to proper waste disposal for the first time. Dozens of illegal dump sites were cleaned up, restoring the landscape and reducing the spread of pollution and disease.

A GIS platform was also developed to help local administrations track waste collection and plan environmental measures more efficiently. These efforts improved living conditions for more than 30,000 citizens, reducing health risks and encouraging greater environmental responsibility.

The story didn’t end there. Building on this success, the Municipality of Lipkovo continued its CBC journey by partnering with Bujanovac in a new project focused on improving operations and emergency preparedness.

“It might be difficult to implement CBC projects in small municipalities, but close cooperation and the experience we gained made all the difference,” says Aleksandar Gumberovski, Project Manager, Municipality of Lipkovo.

This project showed how shared challenges can turn into shared progress, creating cleaner, safer, and more connected communities across borders.