VMRO-DPMNE Vice President Aleksandar Nikoloski revealed details about the latest major procurement signed by the state owned REK Bitola coal plant and its ELEM/ESM parent company, with the Markovski company. Markovski has won numerous contracts in a row to dig coal in Bitola, by hugely inflated prices.

I will present a shocking case that reveals how are people are being impoverished. The contract is to rent 10 diggers from Markovski Company, over 18 months, for 16,253 denars per hour (250 EUR). The total cost of this framework agreement is 9.2 million EUR, or 63,000 EUR per day, Nikoloski said.

The VMRO official called on the Government to answer how many such machines could have been bought with this rental agreement, instead of paying to the “favored private company”.

I ask, what is the private interest the Government has from this contract? What are the hidden corrupt intentions here? Which SDSM and DUI Government officials will benefit from all this? Is it true that the contract has been arranged at the highest levels of the Government?, Nikoloski asked, announcing that VMRO will launch an investigation into this scandal immediately after the change of Government next year.