CIVIL – Center for Freedom is closely monitoring the election activities of the political parties, ahead of the second round of local elections that will be held on October 29.

CIVIL’s monitoring team notes intensified activity on the ground of party activists throughout the country and not only in municipalities where there will be election reruns. Increased activity is also noted on the social networks, especially from the end of last week.

In the first few days following the election day on October 15, the parties were less active, in anticipation of the outcome of the complaints. By the end of last week, their campaign continued with increased intensity.

According to the reports of CIVIL’s observers, the atmosphere is tense, while the political parties continue to deal with national topics instead of local problems. The activities, at least a large part of them, are focused on divisions, tensions and unhidden hate speech towards political opponents or

towards categories of citizens of certain communities, which are not in the political vision of the parties.

Cases of pressure have been noted in public enterprises and in the administration at the local level. These cases are yet to be published on our media platform, but it is nevertheless something for which the institutions need to seriously engage in work and sanction any attempt to limit voting rights.

CIVIL’s assessment is that in the second round of local elections, again there will be citizens who will not figure on the Voters Register. Once more, we alert that this is a serious violation of human rights and freedoms and of the fundamental human right, and that is the right to vote.

CIVIL monitored the first round of elections with 191 observers and in cooperation with over 30 citizen journalists, who were not accredited, but were actively monitoring on the ground.

The observers will be reallocated to municipalities where there will be voting in the second round, and today 16 additional observers will be accredited, who will be assigned to places where a more tense election day is expected.

CIVIL – Center for Freedom has zero tolerance towards election irregularities and calls on all participants in the second round of elections, on October 29 to contribute to a peaceful, free and democratic election day.

Information and reports from the election monitoring arriving from observers and citizen journalists will be published on the websites www.civilmedia.mk in Macedonian and www.drejt.mk in Albanian, along with many other information, important for the citizens.

For all information or reports on election irregularities, the citizens, media and all stakeholders in the election process may contact us at the following telephone numbers: 02 / 5209 176, 071 608 523, 078 / 746 138 or through the online form www.slobodniizbori.info.