House arrest for former acting Komunalec Gostivar director Artana Asani

Former acting director of Komunalec Gostivar, Artana Asani, will be placed under house arrest instead of pretrial detention, the pretrial judge at the Basic Court in Gostivar confirmed. Judge Kjirko Mihajloski told local reporters that the court granted the change following a request from Asani's defence.

Court decision and prosecution opinion

The judge said the measure was approved after the Basic Public Prosecutor's Office issued a positive opinion on the defence's petition. The order replaces custody with a restriction that Asani remain confined to her residence under the terms the court will set.

No change has been announced for the two other Komunalec managers who were arrested in the same investigation. The court said there is not yet a new opinion from the prosecutor's office regarding their detention measures.

Asani, technical director Leon Nuredini and the head of the water department, Vadedin Dervishi, are all suspected of a criminal offence in the category of serious crimes against the environment and nature — specifically pollution of drinking water. The charge carries a statutory prison sentence of at least four years.

The three were arrested in connection with the outbreak and contamination incident in Gostivar that prompted the criminal probe and emergency response from health and municipal services.

Photo: press material from the event