TEL AVIV — Orce Gjorgjievski, the mayor of Skopje, North Macedonia, arrived in Israel in June 2026 to attend MUNI EXPO 2026 in Tel Aviv. The purpose of his visit was to study municipal resilience and crisis preparedness strategies for potential implementation in Skopje, a city with a population exceeding 500,000 residents.

MUNI EXPO is an Israeli municipal conference that gathers mayors, local authority leaders, government officials, and innovators. Gjorgjievski stated, "I came to Israel with great respect and with a clear intention – to learn from experiences that are not only theoretical, but experiences created in real, difficult and complex circumstances."

Gjorgjievski noted that Israeli cities suggest local government should be prepared before a crisis. He explained, "Israeli cities demonstrate something very important, and that is that local government must be prepared before a crisis happens, not improvise when it is already too late." He clarified that city resilience involves infrastructure, discipline, trust, preparedness, and clear communication.

Gjorgjievski became mayor of Skopje in late 2025. He previously served as the leader of the municipality of Kisela Voda. He stated, "I believe in fieldwork, in talking with people, and in solving problems step by step."

Why It Matters

This visit by Mayor Gjorgjievski represents an effort to incorporate international best practices in urban crisis management into Skopje's governance. The focus on pre-crisis preparedness and comprehensive resilience strategies, beyond just physical infrastructure, suggests a proactive approach to city administration for North Macedonia's capital.