[Opinion]: Breaking Macedonia’s vicious circle

Macedonia's state prosecutor officially charged on the 30 April 2015 Zoran Zaev, the leader of Macedonia's centre-left Social Democrat party, and four others, with espionage, illegal wiretapping, and 'violence against representatives of the highest state bodies'.

Riot police clashed with thousands of protesters in the Macedonian capital Skopje on the 5 May 2015 after the main opposition alleged a cover-up over the death of a man in 2011.

The crowd gathered outside state buildings calling on Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski's government to resign.

The protest erupted after the opposition revealed leaked recordings.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Council conclusions on the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia http://www.europeansources.info/record/press-release-council-conclusions-on-the-former-yugoslav-republic-of-macedonia/

BBC News, 06.05.15: Macedonia violence after Zaev claims 'cover-up' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-32610951

Deutsche Welle, 01.05.15: Macedonia indicts opposition leader Zoran Zaev over wiretapping scandal http://dw.de/p/1FIuO

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