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North Macedonia Town Overrun by 1,000 Cows

Residents of Kriva Palanka face crop destruction and traffic hazards from a large, unmanaged cattle herd.

AI-assisted coverage comparison, editor-supervised · How this was made

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North Macedonia Town Overrun by 1,000 Cows

What this story says

  • A herd of over 1,000 cattle is causing significant damage in Kriva Palanka, North Macedonia.
  • The cows are destroying crops, threatening the water supply, and creating traffic hazards.
  • Mayor Sashko Mitovski has requested the government declare a 30-day state of emergency to resolve the issue.
  • The problem has persisted for years due to what residents and the mayor describe as bureaucratic failures.

Who covered it

Left 37%(13)Centre 43%(15)Right 20%(7)

Percentages are shares of the 35 outlets carrying a published leaning rating. 10 of the 45 outlets we know ran this story carry no rating and are not counted in them. Coverage measured .

Trust

50/100

Craft

50/100

Hype

45/100

45 sources · methodology

Residents of Kriva Palanka, a town in northeastern North Macedonia, are contending with a herd of more than 1,000 roaming cattle. The animals descend from surrounding hills, primarily at night, to consume gardens and crops. This ongoing issue has led to property destruction and poses risks to the town's water supply and road safety, particularly on the route to Bulgaria.

The situation has persisted for years, with many residents and Mayor Sashko Mitovski attributing the lack of resolution to bureaucratic failures. Mitovski has asked the national government to declare a 30-day state of emergency to enable authorities to address the problem. He stated that institutions have lacked the willingness, commitment, capacity, or resources to solve the issue. The Food and Veterinary Agency had previously ordered the seizure of the herd from its three owners, but this order has not been enforced.

Disagreement on herd value

Washington Top News reported that the value of the herd is estimated at between 360,000 and 570,000 euros. None of the other reports provided a specific monetary value for the herd.

What the coverage left out

None of the left-rated, centre-rated, or right-rated digests mention the specific value range of the herd (360,000 to 570,000 euros) that was reported by Washington Top News.

Still developing. We have re-checked which outlets are covering this 4 times, most recently on 14 Nov 2026, 02:45, and will add the sides that appear.

How each side covered it

Our own reading of the reporting listed below, written from the outlets’ articles rather than quoted from them. The reasoning is set out on our methodology page.

Left

13 rated outlets

  • Left-rated reports focused on the scale of the problem, with multiple outlets highlighting the herd size of over 1,000 cows. They also emphasised the destruction caused by the animals, including damage to crops, threats to the water supply, and traffic hazards. The bureaucratic failures preventing a resolution were also a common theme, with reports noting the mayor's request for a state of emergency and the perceived inaction of institutions. Some reports included details about individual residents' experiences, such as a pensioner whose trees were destroyed.

Centre

15 rated outlets

  • The centre-rated outlets reported that over 1,000 cows were roaming freely in Kriva Palanka, North Macedonia. These animals were destroying crops and gardens, and posed risks to the town's water supply and road safety. The problem had persisted for years.
  • Reports indicated that residents and Mayor Sashko Mitovski blamed bureaucratic failures for the ongoing issue. Mitovski requested the government declare a 30-day state of emergency to address the problem.
  • Washington Top News, the only full report, quoted residents who described damage to orchards and gardens. It also noted the mayor's comments on the Food and Veterinary Agency's failure to enforce a seizure order for the herd.

Right

7 rated outlets

  • Right-rated reports focused on the immediate problems caused by the roaming cattle, including crop destruction, threats to the water supply, and traffic hazards. They also noted the large number of cows involved. The mayor's request for a state of emergency was mentioned as a response to the escalating situation. The issue of bureaucratic failures was also present in these reports.

Questions about this coverage

How did the left and right cover North Macedonia Town Overrun by 1,000 Cows?
Of the 35 outlets on this story carrying a published leaning rating, 37% are rated left, 43% are rated centre, 20% are rated right. Those percentages are shares of the rated outlets, not of every outlet that ran it, which was 45. The sections above set out what each side emphasised, in its own terms.
Is North Macedonia Town Overrun by 1,000 Cows left or right?
Neither side dominates it. Of the 35 rated outlets on this story, 37% are rated left, 43% are rated centre, 20% are rated right, and no side holds the 70% this site would want before calling a field one-sided. A story is not left or right in any case; the outlets that carried it are what carry ratings.
Is the coverage of North Macedonia Town Overrun by 1,000 Cows biased?
North Macedonia Town Overrun by 1,000 Cows is one event reported by 45 outlets, and this page does not rate the story as biased or unbiased. What it publishes is the spread: which outlets ran it, where named rating organisations place each of them on the spectrum, and what each side chose to lead with. A leaning rating describes an outlet's record over time, not this article, and the two should not be run together.
Which outlets covered North Macedonia Town Overrun by 1,000 Cows?
45 that we know of, every one of them listed further up this page with a link to its own report and to what we hold on the publisher. Nothing here is a summary of somebody else's summary: the outlets are named so the original reporting can be read.
What is happening in Kriva Palanka, North Macedonia?
Kriva Palanka is experiencing a significant problem with a herd of over 1,000 roaming cattle. These animals are destroying crops, threatening the local water supply, and creating traffic hazards on roads, including the one leading to Bulgaria.
Why has the problem with the cows persisted for years?
According to residents and Mayor Sashko Mitovski, the issue has persisted due to bureaucratic failures. They state that responsible institutions have lacked the necessary willingness, commitment, capacity, or resources to enforce orders and resolve the problem effectively.
What action has the mayor requested?
Mayor Sashko Mitovski has asked the national government to declare a 30-day state of emergency in the municipality. This would provide authorities with the necessary funds and resources to address and permanently resolve the problem of the roaming cattle.

Read it at the source

45 outlets, grouped by the leaning a published rating gives them. Every headline links to the original; an underlined outlet name opens our profile of that publisher.

Left

13
Show 5 more

Centre

15
Show 7 more

Right

7

Not rated

10
Show 2 more

How did this read?

About the coverage, not about the story. We do not ask whether you agree with what happened — we have no honest use for that answer.

Kriva Palanka cattle issue | MediaBias News