site.btaProsecutor's Office in Skopje Indicts Ex-Director of Communal Hygiene for Endangering Environment with Waste

The Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office in Skopje has filed an indictment against Sabahudin Rustemi, former director of the Communal Hygiene Public Enterprise, and Aki Saiti, head of the company’s waste management unit, for endangering the environment and nature with waste.

An investigation conducted in October found that the two failed to supervise the collection, transportation, and management of waste in Skopje. This could have caused serious harm to soil, air, and water quality and posed a risk to human life and health, the prosecutor's office said.

The indictment explains that Rustemi acted in violation of the company’s Statute and the Law on Communal Activities and failed to implement decisions of the Board of Directors. He did not ensure the execution of the company’s business policies, participate in setting criteria for the use and management of company funds, monitor or analyze the implementation of plans and contractual obligations, or take measures to enforce them. He also failed to introduce measures to protect the environment.

As the head of a public enterprise responsible for providing communal services, Rustemi was obligated to ensure continuous and high-quality service delivery, as well as the proper maintenance of facilities, equipment, and machinery. However, he failed to do so, the prosecutor’s office said.

The indictment further notes that the defendants "allowed the creation of waste dumps in public areas and along roads."

In the period before and between the two rounds of local elections in North Macedonia, the capital, Skopje, was overwhelmed by garbage. Waste remained piled in and around containers for days, turning the crisis into a central issue in the election campaign.