The post, published without any facts or evidence, all while using photographs from abroad, wants to stir emotions and cause revolt, making illfounded comparisons. Fires have happened in Macedonia before and they will happen in the future. The country is fighting them using all available capacities, as well as foreign aid and that in no case should be associated with the foreign policy of the country and the support for Ukraine, which has been trying to defend itself from the Russian aggression for two years.
We analyze a Facebook post that states:
You keep on worrying about Ukraine and providing aid, instead of feeling sorry for these brave young men and others like them, fighting the destructive powers of fire in this heat. Shame on you
The post shares a dramatic photograph of a young firefighter and it is expected that those who see the photograph will understand that he is from N. Macedonia.
Neither the photograph, nor the aid for Ukraine have anything to do with the fires in Macedonia.
Namely, Vistinomer googled the photograph and found out that it was taken last year in Greece. The original photograph showcases how the fire engine has an inscription in Greek.
The fact-checking service StopFake BG has also confirmed that the photograph comes from Greece, since the same photograph is circulating in Bulgaria these days, as if it is from the fires happening there.
Moreover, the post claims that nobody felt sorry for the Macedonian firefighters and that aid was provided to Ukraine instead. Comparing apples and oranges. The aid provided to Ukraine is not something new and has nothing to do with the fires.
Namely, the army and the police are also involved in fighting the fires, while aid arrived from the European Union as well.
President Gordana Siljanovska-Davkova wrote on her Facebook page on the 18th of July:
Based on the indicated need and demands for a substantial volume of engagement in fighting the fires, I have made the decision to engage an additional 200 members of the Army in the firefighting.
The additional forces from the composition of the Operations Command and the Training and Doctrine Command will be engaged according to the guidelines of the Crisis Management Center, which is responsible for the coordination of all involved institutions.
Starting today, a total of 300 army personnel will make an active contribution on the ground in containing the fires.
As reported by media, two helicopters of the Ministry of Internal Affairs from the Department of Aviation Units acted on several locations in the region of Bogomila and villages Gabrovnik and Mokreni, where there were fires.
As the director of CMC Stojanche Angelov informed, on the 21st of July 2024, air tractors from the SSO, the army and helicopters of the Ministry of Internal Affairs have been deployed to suppress the fires. Ground support includes 30 pollice officers from the Special Anti-terrorist Unit – Tigers, ten army personnel and 40 members of the SSO, all focused on containing the fire.
Aid for the country to deal with the fires also arrived from the European Union.
With the activation of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism, four helicopters and three firefighting aircraft from Croatia, Slovenia, Serbia and Turkey have been deployed in North Macedonia, informed on the 16th of July, EC spokesman for humanitarian aid and crisis management Balazs Ujvari.
One helicopter from Serbia, two helicopters from Slovenia, a helicopter and two planes from Turkey and a plane that is part of the EU firefighting fleet stationed in Croatia have been sent to help fight the fires in the country.
So no one has left the firefighters alone in Macedonia, as the post is trying to portray, even less because aid was sent to Ukraine.
As Minister of Defense of North Macedonia Vlado Misajlovski informed, the new government will continue to provide military aid to Ukraine.
You know that a lot of donations have been given to Ukraine, we are the fifth country in donations and for a small country, that is a huge success. The previous government did that and I welcome it. No matter whether it was from the previous government or this government will do the same, it must continue. Of course, we must help Ukraine in these difficult times, and we will see to it that we give everything that our Army does not need, Misajlovski said.
From all of the above, it can be concluded that the post, published without any facts or evidence, all while using photographs from abroad, wants to stir emotions and cause revolt among readers, making illfounded comparisons. Fires have happened in Macedonia before and they will happen in the future. The country is fighting them using all available capacities, as well as foreign aid and that in no case should be associated with the foreign policy of the country and the support for Ukraine, which has been trying to defend itself from the Russian aggression for two years. Because of that, we can say that the post lacks context.
