The SCPC calls on the public to report all election irregularities
The thematic press conference of the State Commission for Prevention of Corruption on the presidential elections and local elections in Ohrid, Debar and Novo Selo, was at the same time a call to all citizens, civil society organization performing election monitoring and to those they cooperate with, but also to the media, to use the resources they offer in search of election regularities.
Vote-buying, misuse of official vehicles for rallies and other party activities, spending of public money, financing of the election campaign and other irregularities during the election campaign are part of what the SCPC will be monitoring in the following period.
“The State Commission in the function of monitoring and controlling the legality of the financing of the election campaign and of the overall election process, will be realizing direct cooperation with the media, citizen associations and with the citizens, and for this purpose it encourages the entire public to timely report specific cases of violations to the prohibitions determined in the Law on the prevention of corruption and conflict of interest and in the Electoral Code”, stated Ivanovska.
The bad manager from Budapest
The Ministry of Justice denies the statement of VMRO-DPMNE leader, Hristijan Mickovski, that Minister of Justice Renata Deskoska doesn’t have managerial skills to find a joint solution. Mickoski stated that the country will not receive a clear recommendation for the EU this year, and that the easiest thing to do is to put the blame on the opposition. “The amendments are on the table, have them accept them”, said Mickoski, while the Ministry responds that his manager from Budapest is giving him bad guidelines that are contrary to the principles of the rule of law and justice.
Boshnjakovski decisive – the anthem is not changing, there was just no time for its intonation
Mile Boshnjakovski, at today’s press conference once again confirmed that Tsipras’ delay had been the reason for the shortening of the programme and the absence of the intonation of the state anthem and other planned activities.
Boshnjakovski added that neither yesterday’s absence of the anthem has anything to do with its changing, nor that it will be changed. Boshnjakovski is decisive, the anthem remains the same.
Dimitrov on a working visit to Washington
Nikola Dimitrov marked the beginning of the working visit to Washington with representatives of US state institutions, having jointly expressed pleasure from the Republic of North Macedonia joining the Alliance.
Assistant Secretary of State, Philip Reeker, reflecting on the situation in the Balkan area, stressed that it is necessary for the states to first transform internally and build capacity for a system based on justice and values.
“We are waiting for you in NATO! The reforms, especially in regards to the SPO, are imperative and it is necessary to keep the independence of the SPO (within the framework of the Public Prosecutor’s Office) and its capacity, in the interest of justice and responsibility for the corruption”, stated Reeker.
Tevdovski: We are implementing fiscal reforms and policies that will improve the standard of all
Minister of Finance, Dragan Tevdovski, at the annual conference on the occasion of Budget Day titled “Fiscal reforms for fair growth”, highlighted that it is not enough to create policies that will create GDP growth, but that is necessary for them to affect the increase of the living standard of all citizens.
“As a society we have an obligation to care for the citizens living in poverty. A social reform has been prepared, with which an adequate minimum income is introduced. With this, we will become the first country in the region to introduce this program for eradicating poverty. We are investing in the foundations of society – public education and health care. We want our children in the future to maximally use their potential. Only in this way they will have a better future”, said Tevdovski.
CIVILian activities
“The second day as well, of the election campaign of the candidates running for president of the Republic of North Macedonia, looks much like a campaign for parliamentary elections, while the speeches of the presidential candidates look like speeches of holders of party lists…Someone has again mixed things up!
The candidate for president of the Republic of North Macedonia, who, ironically, does not recognize the new name, but with particular pride highlights her confidence that she will rule the state relying on the principles of justice and fairness, at the rallies in Struga and Resen, spoke about the price of purchasing the Resen apple, and even announced early parliamentary elections, with a whole bunch of criticism at the expense of the current government…Siljanovska did not pass up the opportunity at the rallies to talk about yesterday’s visit of Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, the absence of the intonation of the anthem and the feeling of a destroyed dignity that she has felt with such act. It is not known whether she has managed to eliminate this feeling by practicing yoga after the rally in Struga”, is said in the “Campaigns without any shame”.
CIVIL submits complaint for early start of the election campaign
CIVIL – Center for Freedom informs the public that it has submitted a complaint to the State Election Commission for violation of the Electoral Code. It concerns the case with presidential candidate Gordana Siljanovska – Davkova and the political party VMRO-DPMNE, who on 24.03.2019 held an organized public event in Stip where the campaign participant was presented, which represents an early start of the election campaign, contrary to the Electoral Code.
According to Article 69 of the Electoral Code, as an election campaign is considered public gathering and other public events organized by the campaign participant, public display of posters, video presentations in public areas, electoral media and internet presentation, dissemination of printed materials and public presentation of confirmed candidates by official election bodies and their programmes. The election campaign commences 20 days prior the Election Day and in the first and the second round of election cannot continue 24 hours before elections and on the Election Day.
Citizens are observing, recording, publishing in the Skopje Bazaar
Starting at 6.00 pm today, in the old Skopje Bazaar, in front of the South East European University, CIVIL – Center for Freedom will be projecting recently awarded materials of citizen journalists within the framework of the Civic Lenses project, and will be available to answer questions of interested citizens about the project and the conditions for participating in the monthly competition cycles in the project.
With music, projections and conversations, CIVIL will try to promote citizen journalism, but also explain to citizen journalists how they can help in the election observation at the upcoming presidential elections.
CIVIL – Center for Freedom is organizing a 120-minute conference titled “Like Elections – Like Future” where it will present its findings, analyses and recommendations for the upcoming presidential elections. The conference will be held on April 10, at Hotel Park Residence (behind the football stadium), starting at 12.00 noon.
Representatives of institutions, civil society, experts, media and the international community have been invited to the conference. CIVIL’s long-term monitoring has covered the situation and events related to the presidential elections, starting from their announcement on February 8th this year. CIVIL’s observers focused their attention on several important aspects of the election process, including hate speech, false news, the functioning of the institutions, the political financing and the respect for the Electoral Code and democratic standards.
А. Petrovska
photography: B. Jordanovska
