Minister of Interior Panche Toshkovski today visited the “Moto Ilinden Urban Drive” festival, which is being held from 1 to 4 October in the parking area in front of the “Boris Trajkovski” Sports Center in Skopje. In addition to promoting motorcycling, the festival focuses on raising awareness of safe participation in road traffic.
The festival includes test rides, workshops on safe motorcycle riding, training for beginners, proper use of protective equipment, as well as familiarizing participants with road traffic regulations. The Republic Council for Road Traffic Safety is also involved in the educational segment of the event.
Toshkovski welcomed the initiative, emphasizing that education, personal responsibility and compliance with traffic regulations are key to improving the safety of motorcyclists, who are among the most vulnerable road users.
“The love of motorcycles, the adrenaline and the sense of freedom that motorcycling brings must always go hand in hand with responsibility. Wearing a helmet and protective equipment, observing speed limits and complying with traffic regulations are not mere formalities – they save lives. That is why events like this are important, especially for young people and those entering the world of motorcycling for the first time,” Toshkovski said.
The Ministry of Interior continuously conducts intensified traffic enforcement operations, including controls specifically targeting motorcycle and moped riders, with particular emphasis on speeding, possession of the appropriate driving licence, the use of protective helmets and compliance with other traffic regulations.
A further step forward in this area is the “Safe City” system, which also detects violations committed by motorcycle riders. With the use of artificial intelligence, the system will soon be able to identify and sanction riders who fail to wear a helmet, thereby endangering their own lives and the lives of other road users.
Toshkovski emphasized that the results of the new approach to road safety are already visible. In the first nine months of this year, there were 33 fewer road traffic fatalities compared to the same period last year, representing approximately 30 percent fewer lives lost, while the number of injured persons decreased by approximately 19 percent. The positive trend also includes road traffic accidents involving motorcyclists, and the objective is to further strengthen this trend.
“These results are not just numbers. Behind every number is a human life, a family and someone’s future. ‘Safe City’, intensified controls, education and, above all, the responsible behavior of citizens demonstrate that we can fundamentally change our road safety culture. Our goal is clear – fewer accidents, fewer injuries and as few lives lost as possible,” Minister Toshkovski said.
The Ministry of Interior will continue to pursue preventive activities, education, intensified controls and the use of modern technologies in parallel, with one clear objective – safer streets and roads for all road users.
