North Macedonia is covering all costs for its citizens receiving medical treatment abroad, while preparations are being made to bring them home, Foreign Minister Timcho Mucunski said on Friday.
Currently, 116 patients are being treated in 14 countries, including Serbia (31), Bulgaria (15), Türkiye (12), Greece (12), Spain (7), Austria (6), Hungary (6), Romania (5), Belgium (4), Lithuania (4), Croatia (4), Slovenia (4), Sweden (4), and Poland (2), Mucunski revealed.
In response to media speculation, Mucunski emphasized that treatment expenses are fully covered by host countries, while North Macedonia’s government pays for travel, accommodation, transportation, phone bills, translation services, and other related costs.
A coordination meeting is scheduled at the Foreign Ministry to draft a plan for repatriating the patients. Mucunski added that some patients could be stable enough to return as early as next week to continue treatment at home.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski paid tribute to Ilе Gocevski, an ambulance driver who spent the night aiding victims of the recent tragedy in Kocani and later passed away.
“In times of grief, his heroism reminds us that courage and humanity live on in our people. Ile left quietly but set an example we will never forget. Eternal glory to you, Ile,” Mickoski wrote in a Facebook post.