...Macedonian town of Veles has been raising funds for its lawsuit against the state, which it claims turned a blind eye to pollution from a lead and zinc smelter that operated for 30 years on the outskirts of the town. Thousands of Veles residents donated their money...to support a joint effort by local NGOs and the municipality...The factory, built in the 1970s, is accused of being the source of various health problems faced by local residents, and several studies...indicate that the pollution did have an effect on the environment, and perhaps the population. The World Health Organization in 2001 pinpointed the small town...as an environmental black spot, listing it among the most polluted towns in the world. Local doctors say that the pollution stemming from toxic metals has caused increases in cancer rates and other diseases as well as cases of birth defects...the European Agency for Reconstruction found that the soil, water and air in Veles suffered significant pollution during the work of the factory...