The director of PE “Communal Hygiene” Skopje, Sabahudin Rustemi, and another executive remain in police custody amid an ongoing investigation into waste management issues in the capital.

The Public Prosecutor’s Office confirmed that the individuals are currently detained and that the investigative procedure is still underway.

Their arrest stems from suspicions of a criminal offense under Article 230 of the Criminal Code, specifically endangering the environment and nature through improper waste disposal.

This action follows a government directive instructing the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in collaboration with several state inspectorates and the Institute of Public Health, to conduct an extraordinary inspection of Skopje and “Communal Hygiene.” The purpose of the inspection was to assess the waste situation in the capital and implement necessary corrective measures.

Mayor of Skopje, Danela Arsovska, responded to the arrest with irony on Facebook. She alluded to the director’s political affiliation (DUI) and suggested that the president of the company’s Management Board, Julijana Spirovska, was not arrested due to alleged connections with VMRO-DPMNE officials.