New Tapes Show Macedonian PM 'Designed' Skopje 2014

Macedonia's opposition Social Democrats on Friday presented fresh wiretapped conversations, which they say show that the Prime Minister, Nikola Gruevski, was the hidden architect of the state-funded revamp of the capital, known as Skopje 2014.

They also presented tapes that they say show government ministers and senior officials' on a property-buying spree in Skopje.

The two press conferences were held in front of the government building where the opposition set up a protest camp on May 17.

"Gruevski was the ideologist, planner, designer and creator of 'Skopje 2014'. He personally admits in these tapes that he is the one standing behind the enormous crime of this project," Damjan Mancevski, of the Social Democrats, told the press conference.

The tapes contain what appears to be the voice of Gruevski commissioning and instructing recently resigned Transportation Minister Mile Janakieski about various aspects of the project.

The Prime Minister is heard discussing the design of several realized and yet-to-be realized designs and buildings.

In one conversation he is heard commissioning a fountain with a 20-metre-high obelisk in the centre.

"There is one fountain with an obelisk in Rome. It is very nice. We want it to be like that but how should we pull it off? Should we previously make a design proposal - or what? A fountain and an obelisk, 20 metres tall ? a pillar, you know that right?" Gruevski appears to tell Janakieski, to which the latter replies, "Very well, OK."

Another tape includes Gruevski discussing the façade of a new multi-storey car park, explaining to Janakieski the difference between baroque and classical architecture and proposing some baroque facades, mentioning examples in...