Wiretapping scandal set 16: The preparations for Kumanovo

By admin On May 11, 2016 0

VMRO-DPMNE with electoral Hodge-Podge for the opposition in Kumanovo. Photo: Screen shot

The 15^th set of wiretapping records, which were played in a press conference in Kumanovo, reveal how VMRO-DPMNE, by using its officials and the ruling position, was trying to win the elections in Kumanovo with scams.

The first conversation unveils that Stevcho Jakimovski is included in VMRO-DPMNE’s battle via the Serbian Progressive Party, who promised an engagement in Kumanovo, and we hear arrangement for the cooperation of the two parties in a coalition. Then we hear that they will cooperate with Goran from Staro Nagorichane, who has “a circle of thugs like him, who live in Kumanovo”. Kiril Bozhinovski suggests a special strategy for the Roma population in Kumanovo, using a vulgar name…

In the second conversation we hear how VMRO-DPMNE got a hold of the Army reservists’ lists – around 800 people, and the party officials arrange for members of VMRO-DPMNE to visit their homes and persuade them to vote for the ruling party. Then we hear that a party “handling” is being prepared for firms, bankrupted employees, dissatisfied, old members… but also for bandits and criminals.

This conversation is followed by a set of two conversations. One of them is between Gordana Jankuloska and Nikola Todorov in which she confirms that huge amounts of cash, 75.000, is promised for Dragisha Miletikj’s party, and she solicits from Todorov and the government’s and party’s Secretary General, Kiril Bozhinovski, to deliver the money as soon as possible. In the next conversation Bozhinovski confirms that he did not give 75.000, but 225.000 for, as he says, the smaller ethnic communities. Jankuloska then explains how she uses Dragi, because she cannot “deal with such bandit kind of stuff” as a Minister.

The next conversation is between Jankuloska and Vladimir Peshevski and we find out that VMRO-DPMNE misuses MOI to block SDSM – the vehicles owned by SDSM’s members are sent to sudden vehicle examination in order to “slow down the voting process”. Jankuloska says that is a harsh intervention in the electoral process. She even says that her party is “more organized than the commies” regarding the voters transportation. At the end of the conversation we hear Jankuloska’s confirmation that MOI is engaged for electoral purposes by saying: “so every high official from MOI is in Kumanovo these three days”.

The last conversation is between Gordana Jankuloska and Viktor Cvetkovski. Here, we find out his duties, how he organizes voters’ transportation…

All of the “bombs” are here .

Press conference of Martin Kostovski, president of the Basic Organization of SDSM in Kumanovo, in Kumanovo, 2nd of April 2015

All comments and remarks regarding this and other Vistinomer articles, correction and clarification requests as well as suggestions for fact-checking politicians’ statements and political parties’ promises can be submitted by using this form

This article was created within the framework of the Project to increase the accountability of the politicians and political parties Truthmeter implemented by Metamorphosis. The article is made possible by the generous support of the National Endowment for Democracy(NED) and The Balkan Trust for Democracy (BTD), a project of the German Marshall Fund of the United States, an initiative that supports democracy, good governance, and Euroatlantic integration in Southeastern Europe. The content is the responsibility of its author and does not necessarily reflect the views of Metamorphosis, National Endowment for Democracy, the Balkan Trust for Democracy, the German Marshall Fund of the United States, or its partners.