Criminal complaint filed against former Debarca mayor over photovoltaic panel permits

Ohrid Internal Affairs Sector has filed a criminal complaint against the former mayor of the Municipality of Debarca, Zoran Nogaceski, and the former head of the Department of Urban Planning and Public Affairs, on suspicion of committing the criminal offense of “negligent performance of duties.”

According to a statement from the Ministry of Interior, the suspects are 60-year-old Z.N. from the village of Volino and 43-year-old I.M. from the village of Mesheishta.

The investigation concerns 2024, when Z.N. was serving as mayor of the Municipality of Debarca. He is suspected of signing permits for the construction of photovoltaic panels without carrying out the mandatory oversight and without responsibly fulfilling his official duties.

According to police, the permits were issued to a legal entity from Skopje, although the former mayor is suspected of knowing that the company did not possess all the documentation required by the competent authority.

The second suspect is also suspected of having played a role in the procedure. At the time, he headed the municipal Department of Urban Planning and Public Affairs and, according to the Ministry of Interior, was the person who prepared the permits, which were subsequently signed by the then mayor of the municipality.

“During 2024, the first reported person, in his capacity as mayor of the Municipality of Debarca, by failing to carry out the mandatory oversight and acting negligently while exercising his powers and duties, signed permits for the construction of photovoltaic panels for a legal entity from Skopje, even though he knew that the legal entity did not possess all the necessary documentation issued by the competent authority,” the Ministry of Interior said.

Police stressed that the documents had been prepared by the former head of the department, while final approval had been granted through the mayor’s signature.

The materials against the suspects have been submitted to the competent public prosecutor’s office, based on reasonable suspicion that they committed the criminal offense of “negligent performance of duties.”