New Macedonia PM Finds 'Empty Coffers, Big Debts'

The VMRO DPMNE accused Zaev of lying when he said in a televised interview on Tuesday night that he found only six million euros in the budget when he came to office, and also discovered that there might be around another billion euros of additional, unreported debt to deal with.

"The condition of the budget we encountered is far from great. There is not 130 million but only six million in the budget," Zaev said in an interview with Macedonian Radio Television, MRT.

"The public debt had exceeded the threshold of 50 per cent of GDP and there are many unnecessary expenditures. There is a hidden debt which is greater than one billion euros," Zaev said, adding that these are just his preliminary findings after assuming office last Wednesday.

Zaev however claimed that despite this, his new government would manage to keep current expenditures flowing and carry out its ambitious plan for an economic upturn.

VMRO DPMNE denies amnesty demand

The VMRO DPMNE also dismissed Zaev's claim in his Tuesday evening interview that he had been approached in the past by the party demanding a deal which would guarantee an amnesty for alleged crimes committed by former Prime Minister and VMRO DPMNE leader Nikola Gruevski and his closest associates.

Zaev insisted that he rejected the proposals.

"His lies won't improve the people's living standards," the VMRO DPMNE said, accusing Zaev of spreading falsehoods in order to deflect public attention from expectations of better living standards which he has promissed.
 
The VMRO DPMNE leadership is under strain due to the many criminal investigations and cases launched by the Special Prosecution, SJO.

The SJO was set up as part of an EU-brokered...