“Attacks and black propaganda against civil society in our country have a long history. It is impossible to list all the examples and ways in which civil society organizations, experts, human rights activists, intellectuals, artists and journalists have been and remain one of the main targets of black propaganda. The most direct form of confrontation with the progressive part of society and civil society organizations, accompanied by black propaganda created, encouraged and sponsored by the state, was carried out during the Gruevski regime,” opened the panel discussion “Black propaganda against civil society“, moderator Xhabir Deralla.

“The financial police, the regime media, the courts, the police, political parties, troll factories, hooligan groups, and even the State Commission for Protection against Discrimination, were once the most prominent players in the state campaign against civil society.”

Macedonian society got rid of the regime, but some of the regime installations remained. The most visible is the black campaign that is being carried out with different intensity against the civil society, precisely in periods when key events and processes are taking place in the country.

There were such attacks during the referendum, for the Prespa Agreement, but also during the election process,” Deralla said.