Video of accused opposition leader's meeting with PM

Video of accused opposition leader's meeting with PM

SKOPJE -- Video footage has been aired showing opposition leader Zoran Zaev admit to PM Nikola Gruevski that he had received materials from foreign intelligence services.

In the video broadcast by Macedonia's TV Sitel, Zaev is heard saying he met several times with "foreigners" and that he was "sure of what he got."

The Macedonian police on Saturday filed criminal charges against four persons, the leader of the opposition Social Democratic Union of Macedonia among them. They are suspected of endangering the constitutional order of the state.

In the recorded conversation, Zaev also tells Gruevski that "the material" he received came from a foreign service, "which is not from the neighborhood."

After the meeting, a police investigation that lasted five months was launched at the prime minister's office, on Gruevski's complaint.

The prime minister reported to the police that the leader of the opposition on four occasions personally blackmailed him with recorded materials received from foreign services, asking him to resign from office and announce early elections and a technical government.

Zaev threatened to publish the documents unless Gruevski complied, according to the complaint.

Zaev claims that the allegations that he was attempting to carry out a coup represent "the last attempt of the government to prevent the disclosure of evidence of criminal activities."

In a statement for Tanjug late on Monday, he "did not rule out a black scenario in Macedonia" once his party "starts publishing the evidence."

Zaev confirmed that he received documents accusing Gruevski and several of his associates of corruption and that they came...