SDSM called on Bitola Mayor Vladimir Taleski to step down, as VMRO-DPMNE members of Parliament from the city rose in support of the Mayor, who has been charged by the Special Prosecutor's Office over wiretapped allegations of manipulations with the awarding of the contract for bus transportation of school kids. The Court issued house detention for Taleski, revoking an earlier decision to confiscate his passport but deny detention.
"We saw how the strong, shameless and public pressure SDSM has exerted over the courts led to a decision that is not based on the law or on the fact of the case, and has no bearing on the respect of rule of law. This decision serves only the daily political needs of SDSM and is used to paper over their failed political decisions", said Zoran Ilioski, member of Parliament from Bitola for VMRO-DPMNE, denouncing the court decision to put Taleski into house detention.
"The justice is slowly but surely coming to Macedonia. The time is coming when those who broke the law will be held responsible. That goes for Vladimir Taleski as well", responded Borce Koleski from SDSM, blaming Taleski for defrauding the town hall of 360,000 EUR.
Ilioski said that the Special Prosecutor's Office and the courts are applying a double standard, given that SDSM leader Zoran Zaev remains pardoned by the 2008 Presidential pardon over charges that he entered into a corrupt deal with his business partners who received right to build a shopping mall in Strumica, as Zaev was the city's Mayor. Ilioski added that Zaev was also recently charged over a similar corrupt land deal in Strumica, pointing out the video tape in which he is seen asking a businessman for a bribe.