On Tuesday, SDSM raised concerns over, as it pointed out, VMRO-DPMNE’s preparations for “yet another embarrassing act of betrayal” of national interests.
“Instead of carrying out a transparent and lawful procedure to build the new distribution system for natural gas, as referred to in the Energy Law, which they themselves adopted in Parliament in May of this year, the Government, behind closed doors, is preparing the signing of an illegal memorandum of cooperation.
Why is Article 94 of the Energy Law, which clearly orders for the selection of a partner to build the distribution network to be carried out through a transparent tender procedure, being circumvented? Whose interests is the government protecting considering it’s selecting, as a strategic partner, a company that’s already been caught and exposed in investigations into bribery and shady deals?
Is the government preparing huge corruption: It will cooperate with Kazanci Holding, whose daughter company, Aksa Energy, has been charged with corruption in Ghana? SDSM is demanding an urgent and irrevocable withdrawal from the intent to sign any memorandum with said company, full transparency over all negotiations and activities related to this project so far, an unconditional respect for the law, and a public debate on the development of the energy sector”, the party’s Spokesperson, Bogdanka Kuzeska, said.
The same day, however, PM Hristijan Mickoski, and Saban Cemil Kazanci of the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding.
“With the signing of this Memorandum with Kazanci Group, we’re opening room for the implementation of a significant strategic project worth up to 1 billion euros, an investment that will have real, practical, and long-term influence on the energy system of the country”, the PM said.