Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska rejects accusations of manipulating public debt data

Finance Minister Gordana Dimitrieska-Kochoska rejected accusations from the Social Democratic Union of Macedonia (SDSM) that she manipulated the country's public debt figures, saying the claims are unfounded and intended to mislead the public.

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In a post on Facebook the minister said: "I state with the utmost responsibility that I have never been part of any illegal or unlawful procedures. The accusations related to the public debt are completely unfounded and represent an attempt to manipulate the public."

Dimitrieska-Kochoska stressed that the figures published by the Ministry of Finance are official and are based on relevant information drawn from all competent institutions, in line with their legal mandates and duties.

The minister’s statement follows charges by SDSM that Dimitrieska-Kochoska and Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski are manipulating the country’s public debt data. According to SDSM, the alleged manipulation aims to obscure historic borrowing while attention is focused on the Alta Bank scandal.

As part of its message, SDSM published tables showing the public debt position in June and in September. The party says those tables support its claims about discrepancies in the reporting.

The dispute adds to ongoing political tensions between the government and the opposition; the ministry reiterated that its debt data are compiled from official sources and conform to legal procedures.

Photo: press material from the event