SDSM denied reports that its party leader Zoran Zaev was holding secret meetings to sign a public private partnership contract over a controversial healthcare company. According to the reports in Albanian and Maltese media, Zaev met with the disgraced former Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and Pakistani – Libyan businessman Shaukat Ali Ghafoor to discuss having the Steward company operate in Macedonia, despite the fact that it badly mishandled its investment in Malta.

Zoran Zaev was on an official visit to Malta as Prime Minister, in a different year from that presented in the made up case promoted by VMRO-DPMNE, and the public was informed about this in due time. The public was also informed about his meetings with the Maltese leadership in New York which were conducted for the benefit of the citizens of our state. The Libyan businessman has no links to Zaev, and has never met with Zaev, SDSM said in its press release.