Macedonia MPs Kept on Tight Leash, Tapes Reveal

A newly aired tape, containing what appears to be the voice of Prime Minister and VMRO DPMNE party leader Nikola Gruevski, confirms claims that ruling party MPs had to sign blank resignation declarations, which could then be activated if they defected or disobeyed instructions.

In a conversation between what seems to be Gruevski and the VMRO DPMNE MP group coordinator, Silvana Boneva, the two discuss a scheme that has been widely rumoured to exist - but which has till now been unproven.

The two discuss the ruling party's MPs' frequent absences from plenary sessions and how to punish them for doing so.

"Let's start activating resignations. What do you say?" Gruevski asks Boneva, adding: "They have submitted their written resignations. Let's start activating them."

"We could. They went too far," Boneva replies. "You should now gather all of them and tell them that they have written their resignations, and that if they don't want to work, these will be immediately activated."

In the conversation, revealed by the opposition Social Democrats, SDSM, Gruevski and Boneva also discuss whether in such a case the MPs could retract their resignations.

"Well, they could do that, if they are not ashamed [to do so] in front of people. They could come to a session and say - 'I did not'..." Boneva explains. Gruevski then thinks of a better solution to prevent this possibility.

"We could fix the job [their resignations] while they are [away] on a trip. Let them come then and explain..." Gruevski's voice suggests.

The tape was revealed this week at the latest opposition press conference dedicated to the issue of illegal surveillance in Macedonia.

The Social Democratic Party, SDSM, has accused Gruevski of...