Asked about the recently revealed shocking report that her municipality has collected 0 denars in property taxes, Mayor Milkije Halimi from Aracinovo explained it by stating that she is dealing with many unlawfully built homes and therefore it is pointless to even set up a local tax office.

Aracinovo is a large village north-east from Skopje, notorious as a lawless area and a regional base for the Albanian mafia. In past years it’s town hall would collect a token amount in property taxes but recently it has given up trying.

We have many people on welfare, unfortunately. Also, we have a problem with unlawfully built houses and families who are financially unable to have them legalized, Halimi, an official of the ruling SDSM party, told TV24.

Aracinovo is similarly difficult area when it comes to collecting electricity bills and bills for other utilities. Still, it’s politically important for Prime Minister Zoran Zaev and his SDSM party, and he recently approved a financial package of half a million EUR from the budget.