Ministry of Interior files criminal charges against 27 people and an employee over driver's licence tampering
Criminal complaint covers Sept 2020–Aug 2026; 21 licences issued with unlawfully entered categories and an employee suspected of multiple offences.
The Ministry of Interior has filed criminal charges against 27 people, including a ministry employee, over alleged tampering with driver's license applications and the unlawful insertion of licence categories. The Interior's Department for Internal Control says the case covers activity from September 2020 to August 2026.
How the scheme allegedly worked
According to investigators, the employee from the Administrative Affairs Department Skopje used her official code and system authorisations to alter previously submitted applications in the electronic licence system. In some cases she reportedly cancelled existing applications and created new ones that included categories for which applicants did not meet legal requirements.
The investigation found that 21 people received driver's licences with unlawfully entered categories, while in one case the procedure remained an attempt and did not conclude with issuance. Four individuals are accused of acting as intermediaries, finding clients, linking them to the employee and coordinating the process that led to the illegal entries and approvals.
For the ministry employee there are grounds for suspicion of 22 criminal offences of "Falsification of a document" and one attempted offence of the same type. Several of the other accused face suspicions for the same criminal offence as accomplices.
Authorities also established that six people used the illegally issued licences when crossing the state border; two of them used such licences in proceedings to obtain certificates of professional competence for drivers in international transport. For those actions the investigation indicates six criminal offences of "Use of a document with false content."
The Ministry of Interior notified the Ministry of Transport, requesting extraordinary supervision over legal entities that train or mediate in issuing professional certificates and a review of the legality of already issued certificates. The employee will also face disciplinary proceedings, will be suspended from work until the process is completed, and criminal prosecution will continue.
Photo: press material from the event
