The affair, dubbed "The Big Ear" scandal by the local press, was originally disclosed in January 2001 by current President Branko Crvenkovski, who was the opposition leader at the time.
Aferu, koju su lokalni mediji nazvali skandal "Veliko uho", prvi puta je u siječnju 2001. godine objelodanio sadašnji predsjednik države Branko Crvenkovski, koji je u to doba bio oporbeni čelnik.