Municipality of Ilinden
Skopje's petrochemical suburb housing OKTA refinery, where industrial zoning enables manufacturing investment near the capital.
Ilinden exists because Skopje's industrial expansion required adjacent territory for petrochemical facilities and food processing. Named after the 1903 Ilinden Uprising that marks Macedonian national identity, this municipality of 17,435 residents operates as the capital region's industrial suburb—home to the OKTA Oil Refinery and clusters of petrochemical, gas distribution, and manufacturing companies.
The formation era positioned Ilinden at the intersection of major transport corridors: roads, railways, and proximity to Skopje International Airport in neighboring Petrovec. The municipality grew as Skopje's industrial functions decentralized, with residential development following employment opportunities. Population increased from 14,512 (1994) to 17,435 (2021)—counter to the decline affecting most Macedonian municipalities.
Today Ilinden hosts diverse industrial operations: OKTA petroleum refining, Union Gas distribution, Implast plastics, and food processing including the Grand Food Corporation croissant factory commissioned in 2015 with €6.5 million investment. The municipality benefits from suburban dynamics: workers access Skopje's labor market while businesses access industrial land without city-center constraints. Borders with Aračinovo, Petrovec, Gazi Baba (Skopje), and Kumanovo create a metropolitan integration zone.
By 2026, Ilinden's trajectory continues as Skopje's industrial hinterland. The combination of transport connectivity, available land, and existing industrial clusters creates competitive positioning for manufacturing investment. The population growth that distinguishes Ilinden from rural municipalities reflects the urbanization dynamic concentrating North Macedonian development around the capital.