White foam floating down the Lepenec River into the Vardar triggered an immediate response from authorities on Friday. Following the reports, inspectors from the Ministry of Environment and the City of Skopje inspected the field.
The Water Supply Public Enterprise took water samples for analysis. Authorities said on Saturday that testing would determine the substance and whether the Vardar River had been polluted. Though the foam has since dissipated and the Vardar regained its color, activities to determine the case have continued.
Laboratory results from samples taken from the Vardar River are expected by Wednesday at the latest to reveal what caused the thick white foam. Sources who collected samples from the Lepenec-Vardar confluence confirmed that all A-integrated environmental permits of companies operating in the vicinity were being checked alongside water samples to determine if any entity was responsible for the foam.