Immense pressure is made on employees in the administration, but also on the public in general to attend tonight’s counter-protest organized by the government. According to information from the ground that CIVIL has received within the past few days, and from the fieldwork of the CIVIL team Media, misuse of public resources has been noted, imprecise sources of financing of tonight’s event, as well as abuse of managerial positions in the institutions at the local and national level, through which pressures are being forced.

Up until now, information on the pressures and abuses has come from Skopje, Gostivar, Bitola, Prilep, Gevgelija, Ohrid, Kicevo and Kocani. According to the reports that have so far arrived to our address, this action to mobilize presence to the counter-protests has included doctors, teachers, collectors, hygiene workers and police employees. Also, agitation is made and pressure as well, on the socially vulnerable groups. Such pressures and blackmail are particularly noticeable among the beneficiaries of social welfare and the unemployed.

CIVIL – Center for Freedom strongly condemns such pressures, which are being performed not only through the media controlled by the government, but also directly on the citizens, by abusing public resources and positions held by government institutions.