Criminal complaint filed against Hydrometeorological Service director Igor Lazarovski and nine others

The Ministry of Interior has filed a criminal complaint against Igor Lazarovski, director of the Hydrometeorological Service (UHMH), along with nine employees and several companies, accusing them of abuse of official position and authority and forgery of documents.

Authorities say tender breaches WMO ethical rules

According to the complaint, Lazarovski signed a procurement contract with a company in breach of the Ethical Code of the World Meteorological Organization, to which he had committed under a 2023 agreement. Investigators say the contractor did not meet the tender requirements and had not submitted prices, yet a contract was awarded despite the procurement criterion being "lowest price." The deal is alleged to have produced a material benefit of around €475,000.

In a separate decision, Lazarovski chose a Bitola-based company to supply printing of promotional material and small inventory, a purchase that the complaint says resulted in a material benefit of about €12,700.

The indictment names members of the procurement commission and a controller from the Finance Sector. The Ministry says these employees, "although aware that the tenders did not meet the conditions," enabled the contracts to be carried out.

Prosecutors will now examine the evidence in the complaint and determine whether to press charges. The Hydrometeorological Service has not published an official response to the filing so far.

The case underscores increased scrutiny of public procurement and compliance with international ethical obligations after institutions pledge adherence to external codes of conduct.

Photo: press material from the event