The Department for Internal Control, Criminal Investigations and Professional Standards within the Ministry of Interior filed criminal charges with the Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office Skopje against 27 persons, including one employee of the Ministry of Interior, on reasonable suspicion of having committed several criminal offences related to the unlawful addition of categories to driving licences, as well as their issuance and use.
The measures and activities undertaken by the Department for Internal Control, Criminal Investigations and Professional Standards revealed irregularities in the procedures for issuing driving licences, involving unlawful alterations of data in the electronic system and the issuance of official documents containing false information.
One of the reported persons, an employee of the Department for Administrative Affairs Skopje, is suspected of having, in the period from 3 September 2020 to 24 August 2026, used her official access code and authorisations in the electronic system to unlawfully modify previously created applications for driving licences submitted by other employees. In certain cases, she rejected applications that had already been processed and created new ones, entering driving licence categories for which the applicants did not meet the statutory requirements. Following these alterations, the applications were approved and driving licences containing false information were issued.
Previously, in the period from 11 February 2021 to 11 April 2021, the same employee had been removed from her position and subsequently dismissed from the Ministry of Interior following criminal charges concerning offences committed in the performance of her official duties and related to irregularities in procedures for issuing personal documents. On 15 January 2025, pursuant to a court judgment, she was reinstated to her position at the Department for Administrative Affairs Skopje.
As a result of this unlawful conduct, driving licences containing unlawfully added categories were issued to 21 persons, while in one case the offence remained at the attempted stage. In three cases, previously created applications were rejected and new applications were subsequently created, in which categories for which the statutory requirements had not been met were again entered.
The investigation established that four persons acted as intermediaries and, in agreement and cooperation with the Ministry of Interior employee, facilitated the unlawful issuance of driving licences. They identified interested persons, connected them with the Ministry employee and coordinated the procedure leading to the unlawful entry and approval of categories in the electronic system and the subsequent issuance of the driving licences.
Following the measures undertaken, there are reasonable grounds to suspect the Ministry of Interior employee of having committed 22 criminal offences of “Forgery of a Document” under Article 378 of the Criminal Code and one attempted criminal offence of “Forgery of a Document” under Article 378 in conjunction with Article 19 of the Criminal Code.
Some of the other reported persons, acting in agreement and cooperation with the employee, participated in the procedures for the unlawful issuance of driving licences and are suspected of having committed the criminal offence of “Forgery of a Document” as co-perpetrators under Article 378 in conjunction with Article 22 of the Criminal Code, as well as, in one case, an attempted offence under Article 378 in conjunction with Articles 22 and 19 of the Criminal Code.
The persons to whom the driving licences were issued, although they did not meet the statutory requirements for the respective categories, initiated the procedures by submitting applications, after which the categories were unlawfully entered and approved in the electronic system. There are reasonable grounds to suspect them of having committed the criminal offence of “Forgery of a Document” as co-perpetrators.
Additionally, six persons used the driving licences issued in this manner when crossing the state border. Two of them also used the licences in procedures for obtaining certificates of professional competence for drivers engaged in the international transport of passengers and goods, thereby obtaining certificates issued by the Ministry of Transport. In relation to these actions, there are reasonable grounds to suspect the commission of six criminal offences of “Use of a Document Containing False Information” under Article 380 of the Criminal Code.
In one case, the procedure for the unlawful addition of a category was not completed, giving rise to reasonable grounds for suspicion of the attempted criminal offence of “Forgery of a Document” as a co-perpetrator.
Regarding the identified irregularities, the Department for Internal Control, Criminal Investigations and Professional Standards notified the Ministry of Transport – Sector for Road Traffic and Infrastructure, requesting an extraordinary inspection of the legal entities providing training or acting as intermediaries in the issuance of certificates of professional competence, as well as a review of the legality of certificates already issued and the undertaking of appropriate measures in accordance with the law.
As part of the measures undertaken, a proposal to initiate proceedings for determining disciplinary responsibility will also be filed against the Ministry of Interior employee. In addition, the mandatory measure of removal – suspension from the workplace – will be imposed until the completion of the disciplinary proceedings.