AKIPRESS.COM - Thousands of Macedonians have taken to the streets calling for the government to resign, resulting in violent clashes with police and shaking the country's political scene to its core.

At the source of the unrest is a series of apparent wiretaps released by Zoran Zaev, the head of Macedonia's main opposition Social Democrats (SDSM), on a weekly basis since February. The leaked recordings have embroiled the ruling VMRO-DPMNE party, which is accused of overseeing a vast illegal surveillance program, in a scandal that includes allegations of a murder cover-up, reports RFE/RL.

State-run media have scarcely reported on the wiretaps, alleged to have recorded the conversations of more than 20,000 citizens, and only a few local media stations and opposition news channels have covered the story as it has grown in recent months.

A fresh batch of sensitive recordings is expected to be released in the coming days, and will reportedly provide insight into contentious negotiations over the country's name dispute with Greece as well as a 2012 murder case that raised ethnic tensions in the country.

We take a look at some of the most stunning revelations that have emerged from the recordings, and the controversy they have caused.

One of the latest leaks, released on May 5, suggest that the government attempted to cover up the 2011 murder of 21-year-old Martin Neskovski, who was beaten to death by a member of a special police unit called the Tigers during a rally celebrating the ruling VMRO-DPMNE's election victory.

The leak angered the public and sparked demonstrations that attracted thousands. Participants, mostly young students, protested against police brutality and called on Interior Minister Gordana Jankulovska to resign.

Riot police using tear gas, stun grenades, and water cannon dispersed antigovernment rallies that took place on May 5. Thirty-eight policemen and one civilian were injured during the protests and dozens of people have been arrested, according to the Interior Ministry.

Jankulovska has said that the tapes were spliced and edited by "foreign secret services." She can be heard in the recording released on May 5 complaining about how difficult it was to "conceal the murder."

"I'm upset because when it comes to such a case -- you can’t conceal it, you have a murder, a dead person," Jankulovska is heard saying.

Antigovernment rallies also took place on May 6 and are expected to continue in the coming days. The opposition has called for a large antigovernment rally on May 17.