The press conferences of the alternate deputy Agriculture Minister, Ljupco Nikolovski, obviously serve to manipulate and misinform the public, said Deputy Economy Minister, Hristijan Delev on Wednesday following the former's allegations about the latter's abuse of position.
"He abused his position again by spreading lies," the deputy economy minister added, in relation to Nikolovski's statement that Delev released the Dzumajlija agricultural combine from the lease for 5,642 hectares of arable land.
Delev announced he would press a criminal charge against Nikolovski, stressing that until 2006, SDSM was paying barely EUR 600,000 for leases, whereas now, the opposition party spends more than EUR 3 million a year for leases.
"I have dismissed Nikolovski's false allegations several times so far, but most probably, he doesn't want to realize or to understand that there is nothing illegal in the lease contracts' annexes for state-owned agricultural property, nor in the withdrawal of the obligation to pay the leases," Delev said.
He explained that the annexes to the contracts that are made public by Nikolovski as well, state clearly that the 'renter is obliged to start paying the lease as of May 5, 2008', i.e. since the day the release of paying the lease expires, which was given by SDSM-affiliated minister, Slavko Petrov.
"I've already started the procedure of filing a criminal charge against Ljupco Nikolovski. Everyone abides to the law, even Ljupco Nikolovski," Delev underlined.