Miteski Posted a Woman as an Example of an Illegal Dump, She Says the Furniture Pickup Was Paid For: Who Checks First?

"This isn't carelessness. This is irresponsibility!" With those words, Aerodrom Mayor Dejan Miteski posted photos on his Facebook profile of a woman standing next to old furniture left a few metres from the dumpsters. "In broad daylight," he wrote, a "new illegal dump" is being created, and the inspection services are already acting. He called on citizens to report such cases, ideally with a photo and the exact location, because those who create illegal dumps "must bear responsibility."

Then the woman from the photos spoke up in the comments under the post. According to her, the bulky waste had been properly reported to Aerodrom Municipality, the pickup service had been paid for, and collection was scheduled for October 22. "I expect you to quickly check with the Municipality and the inspectorate that I'm completely in order. And I also expect a public apology," she told the mayor, announcing a lawsuit for defamation and public shaming as well.

Whether the service really was paid for can't be independently confirmed for now. But that's exactly the problem. It's a check the municipality could have run in its own records - before the mayor put a photo of a citizen on his public profile and declared her an example of irresponsibility.

Illegal dumps in Skopje are a real problem, and nobody disputes that someone has to answer for them. But public shaming isn't a penalty under the law, and it certainly shouldn't come before the check. If the mayor wants citizens to report "with a photo and the exact location," will the municipality first check whether a pickup is already scheduled at that location?

Now the ball is in Aerodrom Municipality's court. If the woman is right, will a public apology follow, just as loud as the post? Or will the old rule apply - the accusation goes on the front page, the correction in a comment?