SKOPJE: Skopje was gripped on Friday for the second consecutive day by a cloud of polluted air and fog which practically paralysed the Macedonian capital and perturbed air traffic. On the Skopje streets, numerous citizens were wearing masks in a bid to protect themselves while the visibility was poor. Mask stocks were emptied, local media reported. According to a World Heath Organisation (WHO) study, published in early 2017, Skopje, which is located at the bottom of a valley, was among ten cities in Europe with the highest concentration of fine particles. Skopje, like the four other Balkans cities listed among the 10, has an industry based on coal or lignite, used also for heating.
