Criminal complaint filed against Struga mayor Mendi Ćura over illegal dismissal and appointment of school director
Ministry of Internal Affairs alleges he dismissed a primary school director unlawfully and appointed an acting director who did not meet legal conditions.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs has filed a criminal complaint against Struga's mayor, Mendi Ćura, accusing him of unlawfully dismissing a primary school director and appointing an acting director who did not fully meet legal requirements for the post.
Case and charges
The complaint was submitted by the Struga Department for Internal Affairs (OVR Struga). According to the filing, Ćura is suspected of the criminal offence of abuse of official position and authority under Article 353 of the Criminal Code.
"He, in his capacity as mayor of the Municipality of Struga, contrary to provisions of the Law on Primary Education, made a decision and unlawfully dismissed the director of one municipal primary school, after which he appointed another person as acting director. He did so despite knowing that the newly appointed person did not fully meet the requirements prescribed in Article 118 of the Law on Primary Education," the Ministry of Internal Affairs said in a statement.
Inspectors from the State Education Inspectorate reportedly identified the irregularities during supervisory checks.
This is not the first criminal complaint lodged against Mayor Ćura since his election in last year’s local polls. In early April 2026 the forensic police office in Struga filed a separate complaint alleging negligent conduct in office after he named, on 18 November 2025, an acting director of the public enterprise Water Supply and Sewage – Struga who lacked the required educational degree, did not possess the necessary English language certificate and failed to meet several other criteria.
In December 2025 police in Struga also requested misdemeanor proceedings against the Municipality of Struga and the mayor in relation to an event held on 28 November 2025 on Marshal Tito Street, where organisers displayed a community flag but, police say, did not place the national flag of the Republic of North Macedonia as required by law.
Photo: Arhiva
