With the first hearing in the second major racketeering scandal involving the ruling SDSM party approaching on Wednesday, reports are growing that the court will be pressured to drag out the trial and reduce the embarrassment SDSM will be exposed to.

In the trial, showman Bojan Jovanovski – Boki 13 is charged with extorting a million EUR from two real-estate developers, promising them access to very lucrative deals approved by SDSM party mayors. Boki 13 was recently sentenced to nine years in prison for extorting money from businessman Jordan Orce Kamcev, and during the sentencing said that he will reveal all he knows about the actual top of the corruption pyramid, saying it involves SDSM party leader Zoran Zaev and his brother Vice. Last week Boki 13 testified before prosecutors, during which he received a death threat over the phone, and said he will reveal more during the new, coming trial, in time for the July 15 elections.

Top SDSM official Frosina Remenski is also charged and has announced willingness to talk about the conduct of other, more senior party officials. Prosecutors refused to charge Marija Jankovska, a close in-law of SDSM Vice President and Defense Minister Radmila Sekerinska, who was a key assistant to Boki 13 in his schemes.