Aside from all the irregularities and abuses we have been facing during the election campaign, an example of the greatest abuse that can happen is precisely manipulation with children and minors”, said Angela Petrovska from CIVIL – Center for Freedom at the Conference “Like elections – like future”

“We have seen this over the years, regardless of whether at local, presidential or parliamentary elections, abuse of children has always been present. Even though they always receive fierce criticism from the institutions, civil society organizations, the media…, that it is a matter of violation of the law, politicians, or political parties, nevertheless, do continue with this practice”, said Petrovska.

Political abuse is forbidden by law. According to Article 12, paragraph 4 of the Law on Child Protection, abuse of children for political or religious organization and action is forbidden.

“Hence, for these upcoming presidential elections, during the election campaign we have noticed examples of abuse of children and minors in promotional advertisements, at rallies and similar…

In a promotional advertisement of independent presidential candidate Gordana Siljanovska Davkova, children were shown sitting in a living room with their parents. Parents need to be the first ones to protect their children, and not – to express their political determination through them…There was another example of abuse of children during the visit of DUI leader Ali Ahmeti, when during the meeting with citizens in Ohrid there were children throwing flowers along his path…

At one of the rallies of presidential candidate Stevo Pendarovski, a woman was saying that supposedly her seven-year-old grandson, who by the way was not living in Macedonia, had called her and said it would be smartest for her to vote for Pendarovski. The woman said that her grandson had said that Pendarovski seemed decent and that he looked like someone who had finished college and that because of this she should vote for him”, added Petrovska.

Political parties and their supporters need to contribute to the protection of children, and not to use them in their campaigns. The state and the institutions have an obligation to provide children physical, mental, spiritual, moral and social development and a normal life in conditions of freedom and dignity, and not to be “poising” the youngest with how they should be thinking and acting for certain purposes of theirs!

Camera: Trpe Stojanoski
Editing: Arian Mehmeti