[18] Since early 2015, the Social Democratic leader, Zoran Zaev, came into possession of mass illegal wire-tap recordings allegedly orchestrated by Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.

[19] Zaev started releasing the so-called information "bombs," a series of wire-tapped conversations between the conservative government officials, most of them including Macedonia's Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski.

[6] On 9 May, the Macedonian police equipped with armored vehicles and machine guns moved in on Kumanovo to seek an Albanian armed group allegedly planning attacks around the country.

Serbian state news agency Tanjug reported that a large number of Albanians from Kumanovo crossed the border into Serbia.

"[15][31] The government also described the gunmen as "former rebel commanders from neighboring Kosovo, which broke from Serbia in war in 1999 and inspired an ethnic Albanian insurgency in Macedonia two years later.

The pro-government media also called for the country's unification behind the government and labeled people who disputed the official interpretation of events as traitors.

[33][34] Sami Ukshini, Beg Rizaj, Demë Shehu, Muhamet Krasniqi and Mirsad Ndrecaj were identified as the leaders of the armed group.

[39] After the meeting, Ivanov stated that "police have prevented coordinated terrorist attacks at different locations in the country that would cause serious destabilization, chaos and fear," adding that the authorities were aware of the armed group's activities since "early 2015.

[48] In November 2017, 33 ethnic Albanians were found guilty of terrorism and given prison sentences by the Skopje Criminal Court, while 4 were acquitted.

[30] A week after the verdict, family members and relatives of the convicted protested in Skanderbeg Square in Skopje, claiming their innocence.

[56] In his speech, the Macedonian Prime Minister Gruevski, praised the police operation calling it a "highly professional, heroic and patriotic action,"[58] adding that the "group planned to attack sports events, shopping malls, as well as state-run institutions.

[61] He also stated that "at the meeting of the National Security Council, which was attended by representatives of the opposition, the attack on the security of the country, whose aim was to destabilise Macedonia, was condemned in the strongest terms," pointing out that "it is high time that those conversations intensified" on the matter of Macedonia joining the European Union and NATO.

[57] The clashes occurred shortly after the release of audio surveillance revealing corruption on a massive scale committed by the leading party in government.

[40][62][63] Then-leader of the opposition Zoran Zaev stated that "strong indications exist that this is a scenario planned by those in power.