English
The Government declared a 30 days long state of crisis in Gostivar, where the local authorities diverted untreated water into the communal supply, causing over 3,000 citizens to seek medical assistance.
The state of crisis is needed to ensure faster normalization of the water supply. This will be our priority and we will be fully focused on resolving this problem, said the Government in a statement.
The Government also called on state prosecutors to conduct a thorough investigation into the scandal, in which the head of the local Komunalec company and two other officials were charged with endangering the public.
Public prosecutor Hazbi Iseini today informed that the three charges are accompanied by a request to the court to order 30 days in detention, to prevent the local officials from fleeing the country. The request was accepted by the court today. Sentences in this case can go up to four years in prison, said Iseini. He confirmed that three pumps were connected to the water supply and two of them were still active during the investigation, pumping untreated water toward the city. This was going on since June 24th, and tests of the water showed fecal bacteria. Iseini announced that the investigation may be expanded toward other suspects.