Government and opposition clash over data-centre deals
SDSM demands disclosure of investor names, contract conditions and estimates of water and electricity use; VMRO-DPMNE defends plans as future-oriented.
The opposition SDSM accused the Government of North Macedonia of negotiating data-centre investments behind closed doors and without public disclosure.
Maja Borozan of SDSM said that while Prime Minister Hristijan Mickoski speaks publicly about an open and transparent process, the government is reportedly holding talks with "5-6 potential investors" without publishing their names or the terms under which state resources would be allocated.
SDSM is demanding full transparency: the party wants to know which investors are being courted, what conditions they would receive, and a clear estimate of costs and benefits to the state. The opposition has specifically raised concerns about how much water and electricity the proposed facilities would consume and warned that higher demand could affect farmers and ordinary citizens.
"Macedonia does not have resources for experiments behind closed doors. Especially not with water," Borozan said.
Ruling party response
Parliamentarian Mile Lefkov of VMRO-DPMNE rejected the opposition's critique, saying SDSM is stoking panic about data centres without offering concrete answers to the questions on water and power consumption.
Lefkov added that VMRO-DPMNE is developing industries such as data centres, which he described as "the future of Macedonia." The exchange highlights a wider tension between attracting investment and safeguarding critical public resources.
Photo: Zelen human grad
