The shocking decision to exclude the press from today’s hearing in the major racketeering scandal did nothing to quiet down the speculations in the public. On the contrary, the u-turn by organized crime prosecutor Vilma Ruskoska, who yesterday said that the latest batch of recordings will be seen by all, but today changed her mind, sparked more comments that a cover up is on-going.

Ruskoska couched her proposal under the guise of the need to protect the privacy of the defendants and people who are not involved in the case. Two of the defendants, Bojan Jovanovski – Boki 13 and Zoran Mileski – Zoki Kiceec, were having an extended homosexual affair and the recordings were apparently made by Kiceec. But the same prosecutor gleefully published other evidence that intruded in the personal life of people involved in the case, to the point that an average Macedonian knows more about the intimate details of the protagonists in the Racket trial that of the Kardashians. Boki 13 and Katica Janeva both asked that the evidence is presented publicly, with Boki insisting that his family was already through so much, that additional revelations will impose little, but may reveal a lot. Janeva, on the other hand, also rejoiced in every opportunity to reveal public details about the people she was going after while she was Special Prosecutor, and would not have a leg to stand on even if she asked that the tapes are kept from the public.

My family and I endured so many speculations and were pillored in the public, so let’s have these infamous tapes in the public as well, Boki 13 asked the court, after announcing that he will open “Pandora’s box” soon.

Ruskoska’s move comes after she tried to downplay one surveillance recording showing Kiceec in the company of Vice Zaev, the brother of Zoran Zaev, and Zaev’s lawyer Vane Andreev. Ruskoska presented the recording without comment, and without audio – it was the press that noticed Vice Zaev on the tape sitting alongside Zoki Kiceec. The surveillance tapes also revealed Janeva meeting President Pendarovski and Kiceec visiting the Government building. Meanwhile, VMRO-DPMNE member of Parliament Antonio Milososki announced that he will give Ruskoska an audio recording which proves that Zaev was closely involved in the racketeering scandal.

Prosecutor Ruskoska is on the verge of officially assuming the position once held by Janeva. Zaev rammed a law through Parliament that would allow him to keep Ruskoska as an organized crime prosecutor deep into the mandate of the future Governments. The law was made with Ruskoska in mind, as she has proven willing to steer the investigation away from Zaev. But as the evidence of his involvement in the Racket scandal piles up, and as virtually no independent minded citizen joined Zaev’s bussed in supporters in their celebratory march on Monday evening, it’s unclear how long will Ruskoska be able to bar the release of the evidence.

Opposition leader Hristijan Mickoski today couldn’t resist to laugh when asked about the possibility that Zaev was not involved in the scandal.

It’s clear to anybody interested to get to the bottom of this case, it’s clear who was the chief organizer and inspiration behind the Racket case, Mickoski said, asking the prosecutors to do their job.