VMRO-DPMNE accused the Mayor of the Skopje municipality of Karpos, Stevco Jakimovski, of corruption over the planned Alumina development. The site of the old aluminium plant has been slated for development for decades, and recently the Israeli owner sold the company to a local company linked to the powerful DUI party.

This is a business deal that will net 600 million EUR to the developer, and Stevo Jakimovski has agreed to advance it in favor of the SDS-DUI coalition. Asmir Jahoski, the son of DUI member of Parliament Ismail Jahoski and owner of the Pucko Petrol company, will get to build on 353.491 square meters. The citizens of the entire area will suffer greatly because of this excessive development, but it’s obvious that Stevco Jakimovski will benefit personally. VMRO-DPMNE will not allow 600 million EUR to end in the private pockets of people close to the Government, the opposition party said in a statement.

VMRO representatives in the Karpos municipal council began filibustering the approval process of this deal. On his part, Jakimovski presented a lavish rendering of the future development, with hanging gardens on top of the 30+ story buildings. Critics of the plan point to similar projects where the promised green and modern buildings have turned into densely packed blocks.

Pucko Petrol is best known for receiving major state contracts, especially in selling oil to state companies, during DUI’s term in power. It already has extensive construction projects in Karpos and has used them to bribe opposition Albanian politicians into supporting the Government.