Protesters in the city of Skopje demanded the closure of the "Usje" cement factory, emphasizing that economic profit should not come before people's health.
The protest began in front of the Government, after which the protesters headed towards Parliament and continued in front of the Ministry of Environment and Spatial Planning.
Participants said that institutions have responsibilities to citizens and that demands for health and environmental protection must receive a specific and urgent institutional response.
Some of the messages sent through banners also referred to the issue of pollution measurement, with criticism that the real situation is not being adequately presented and that citizens have been exposed to harmful emissions for years.
The protesters stressed that they cannot accept a situation in which, as they said, "we cannot breathe profit," emphasizing that the right to clean air is a basic human right, not a privilege.
