The statement of the Minister of Economy, Kreshnik Bekteshi, which justifies the theft of electricity and relativizes this crime, is scandalous. To say that only 10% of the electricity that is stolen in Macedonia is stolen in Aracinovo is shameless and if we were a normal country he would have already said goodbye to his ministerial and political career. In fact, Bekteshi admits that the government tolerates non-payment of electricity and crime, said VMRO-DPMNE.

The party says that according to media reports, electricity was “stolen” in the amount of over 6 million euros per year in Aracinovo alone, and everyone pays for these losses afterwards.

Only one substation in Aracinovo shows 96.1% stolen electricity, and almost all the others have over 50%. The government is obliged to explain where and how much electricity is stolen in Macedonia and to sanction everyone, because their crime is paid by those who regularly pay their bills. Instead of negotiations and agreements for obvious abuse, there should be reports, and at the same time an investigation of who allowed and tolerated such behavior. We call on the competent authorities to investigate this case, and the first one who should give a statement is the minister himself, who should give all the information about where and how much electricity is being stolen in Macedonia, since he already knows it. This is another proof that the crimes of individuals and government officials are the reason why the people pay more expensive electricity. Due to crime and corruption, Macedonia is a country where some get rich on the backs of the vast majority of citizens who are impoverished. The government is the generator of crises and crime in Macedonia and they must be held accountable for that, said VMRO-DPMNE.