CIVIL announced new cases of election irregularities at the press conference held at 3:30 pm. However, the President of CIVIL shared the impression that this election process is running peacefully and in the sign of far more functional institutions and democratic atmosphere.
At the start of the press conference, CIVIL’s team prepared two video recordings from citizen journalists, one from Shuto Orizari, and the other from Creshevo, Municipality of Gazi Baba.
There is obvious abuse of children and violation of the election silence in Shuto Orizari in the first video.
In the village of Creshevo, Municipality of Gazi Baba, polling station 2549 and the headquarters of one political party are located in the same building, but in separate entrances. Party activists loudly call out to voters to first enter the party headquarters before they enter to vote, and then to realize their right to vote.
“Election Boards today are often in a situation of being creative and thinking up ways how to overcome the problems with the election material” – stated Xhabir Deralla.
Below are parts of the report of CIVIL’s observation at 3:30 pm:
Problematic election material
There is an increasing number of reports that speak of problems with the election material. In a dozen polling station, the stack of ballots is not perforated, thus the Election Boards have to cut them with scissors, which takes time and creates a crowd in front of the polling station.
Ballots are missing in the stack of ballots of several polling stations across the country.
In the village of Ratevo, at polling station 0013, in the primary school Cvetan Dimov, there are no serial numbers on some of the ballot.
Furthermore, in around thirty polling stations the pens either do not work or the ink is barely visible. This will cause a problem in the vote counting.
There is also an increasing number of reports that UV lamps are not working. There have been around fifty reports since early this morning that UV lamps not working in polling stations throughout the entire country.
In polling station 1376 in Prilep, three uncircled ballots with a valid stamp were found behind the polling booth.
On a street in the Municipality of Aerodrom, CIVIL’s observer found a security cord for the election material, which has been reported to the Municipal Election Commission and the MOI.
Family and group voting
Family and group voting is noted in the municipalities of Karpos, Aerodrom, Kisela Voda, Kicevo and Bitola. Unlawful action of representatives of one of the political parties has been registered at polling station 0654 in Demir Hisar. An observer of one party had went behind the polling booth together with the voter and voted instead of him. At the moment, they are waiting for the police to arrive, the voting has not been interrupted.
Photographing the ballot
There are 11 cases of violation of the secrecy of voting, in the municipalities of Center, Gostivar, Aerodrom, Negotino, Stip, Veles, Demir Hisar, Kumanovo and Tetovo.
In this category are also the cases of taking photos of the ballot. Hence, in polling station 2809 in the Municipality of Center, in the neighborhood Kapistec, a voter had taken photos of the ballot, but no one had reacted. The same thing was also noted in polling station 2267 in Stip, also without any reaction from the election administration.
Unlawful action of the Election Board
We have 39 cases of unlawful action of the Election Board and problems related to the procedures in the following municipalities: Prilep, Gazi Baba, Gjorce Petrov, Aerodrom, Karpos, Saraj, Lipkovo, Kumanovo, Petrovec, Butel, Center, Gostivar, Kisela Voda, Stip, Bitola and Vrapcista.
At polling station 2554/1 in Gjorce Petrov, a voter was given 6 instead of 4 ballots, after which the voter had filled all of them out. The voting had been interrupted at 7:35 am. The Election Board decided to circle each party logo on the ballot and to put them in the box, which will probably mean that those ballots will be declared invalid. The same thing happened at polling station 2809, in the Municipality of Center, Kapistec neighborhood. A voter was given five ballots, which he filled out, after which he himself saw the mistake he made. The Election Board has called for the Municipal Election Commission, and assistance has also been requested from the State Election Commission.
At a polling station in Aerodrom, a citizen was first marked with spray, and after that determined that she was not on the Voters Register. She could no longer realize her right to vote.
Problems with the Voters Register
Unfortunately, we have to conclude that CIVIL’s prediction have come true that on election day there would be cases in which citizens would not be able to exercise their fundamental human right to vote. Problems with the Voters Register usually mean cases where voters cannot realize their voting right, because they have been erased from the Voters Register. In this category we have ten reports from the municipalities Kisela Voda, Kriva Palanka, Gazi Baba, Kumanovo, Petrovec, Aerodrom and Gjorce Petrov.
An appeal
CIVIL – Center for Freedom is calling on all political parties to refrain from violating the Electoral Code and democratic standards, and at the same time we urge all citizens to report irregularities.
