Macedonian citizens, due to the passport crisis and restrictions on issuing new travel documents, are forced to cancel both tourist arrangements and participation in business and sports activities abroad.
The MoI says more than 16,000 citizens have applied for and been photographed for a new passport, but there are only 3,600 forms. Passports will be provided to 650 citizens who have applied for urgent procedure. And the rest will only benefit those who have urgent treatment abroad.
Every citizen pays 1,500 denars for biometric passports in regular procedure, and 4,800 denars for urgent passports.
The Helsinki Committee for Human Rights says they offer free counseling to all concerned citizens who will decide to sue the MoI, which is required by the Law on Travel Documents to provide personal documents to citizens, but also to compensate those who have suffered material damage.
