CIVIL – Center for Freedom most strongly condemns every type of violence. Regardless of whether the investigation will determine a political or criminal background in terms of both of the attacks on the candidates for mayors in Kicevo and in Shuto Orizari, violence is unacceptable!

Even though CIVIL’s monitoring teams unofficially find out that the attacks on Abadi in Kicevo and Bajram in Shuto Orizari are a matter of a criminal conflict, what is symptomatic is that they are both candidates for mayors. Although coincidence is not ruled out, these frequent attacks speak of nervousness and tenseness in the municipalities, as well as of activities of the criminal structures.

Violence during elections, regardless of the motives, undermines the democratic character of the election process and questions the fundamentals of society and the state. Nothing ever good comes out of violence, only tragic losses of lives and views and chaos.

That is why we demand from the institutions to resolutely oppose the violence, and to sanction the criminals according to the law. At the same time, we call on the citizens and journalists to closely follow the situation on the ground and to send video footage to CIVIL for any such incident.