Skopje Mayor Petre Silegov was caught on a hot mic calling Interior Minister Nake Culev “a lunatic”. Silegov gave a press conference after a security officer of the city of Skopje was attacked by a group of people who were illegally throwing garbage at an old and disused dump site which was reactivated by the city during the coronavirus epidemic.

Once the Vardariste site was opened again, businesses and individuals who want to get rid of their garbage began using it unlawfully. Two inspectors tried to stop one such group but were attacked, and one of them had to be hospitalized. Silegov blamed Culev for failing to protect the city appointed security teams.

Culev needs to stop acting like a cheap mercenary for VMRO-DPMNE and Mickoski and to stop endangering the healthcare and the economic state of the country for political profit. The actions of the police are not acceptable, Silegov said, angrily, and continued his rant off camera.

The ruling SDSM party has been trying to blame VMRO-DPMNE, which has partial control over the Interior Ministry through Culev, for any and all incident that occurs. Meanwhile, SDSM would commend SDSM appointed police officers whenever the Ministry would stage a drug seizure or would have any other kind of a successful action.