Pressure on CIVIL observers
A CIVIL observer in a municipality in the eastern part of the country was monitored and photographed several times this morning. The case was reported to the police.
Kumanovo, PS 1070, Obstruction of the observers, Recorded PIN in the diary of the EB.
Pressures and threats
Kumanovo, Primary School “11 Oktomvri”, PS 1026/1, the member of the EB, Verica T., while the voter was on the FP scanner the above mentioned took out a phone to take a picture of the voter. After that, she told him: you know you need to circle a specific number.
Violation of the secrecy of the voting
Kumanovo, Primary School “11 Oktomvri”, PS 1001, the voting screens are arranged in such a way that you can see who is circling what behind the screen from the window.
Fingerprint devices do not work
Novo Selo, PS 1789, A citizen is not on the voter list and does not appear in the recognition device, she was sent to the MEC Novo Selo to exercise her right if they allow her to. She had a problem the previous time as well.
Violation of KOVID protocols
Tetovo, Primary School “Bratstvo Migjeni”, PS 1952, Non-compliance with COVID measures
Lozovo, Primary School – v. Lozovo, PS 1706, The President of the EB does not wear a protective mask.
Voting assistance, voting for another, family voting
Tetovo, Primary School “Bratstvo Migjeni”, PS 1952, Family/group voting
Lozovo, Primary School – v. Lozovo, PS 1706, Abuse of voting assistance – the person assisting suggests who the voter should round up.
Problems with the FD
One of the CIVIL long-term observers prepared statistics from one polling station in Kisela Voda. Out of 70 voters in the polling station 2668, the Primary school “Partenie Zografski”, Kisela Voda, only 19 did not have a problem with the identification by fingerprint devices.
Radovish, PS 1582, FP device can not read fingerprints. According to their experience from the previous voting, the light in the room was turned off so that only the outside light remained. Then, there was no problem with the fingerprint, it read the fingerprints of all the voters.
Tetovo, Primary School “Bratstvo Migjeni”, PS 1952, Problems with the biometric device
Karpos, Primary School “Jan Amos Komenski”, PS 2605, due to problems with the biometric device, the polling station was opened at 7:10 hrs
Kisela Voda, Primary School “Nevena Georgieva Dunja”, PS 2745,
Inaccessibility, violation of the voting right of persons with disabilities
Kisela Voda, Local Community Dome K. Voda, PS 2763, The third voting screen for persons with physical disabilities is not set.
Other irregularities
Novo Selo, Regional Primary School – v. Smolari, PS 1782, No EB member wears a badge.
Kisela Voda, Local Community Dome K. Voda, PS 2762, EB members do not have badges/markings.
Kumanovo, “Goce Delchev” Gymnasium, PS 1073, the voting was interrupted for 8 minutes due to objections from party observers for not counting the ballots
Kumanovo, “Goce Delchev” Gymnasium, PS 1073, A ballot from yesterday from a patient from Covid-19 is still standing on the side, they will put it in the ballot box tonight.
Aerodrom, Primary School “Gjorgjija Pulevski”, PS 2705, Placed 2 boxes, explaining that they have a large number of voters (866).
VIOLATION OF ELECTION SILENCE
CIVIL’s monitoring team is monitoring the election silence that went into effect at midnight between Friday and Saturday, October 29 and 30. Of the processed reports from the ground until 4.00 pm (October 30), several cases are singled out. The number of cases of violation of election silence is far greater. More details will be announced at the press conference on Sunday, October 31, starting at 10.00 am.
Ohrid, online portal
On Friday night into Saturday, October 30, 2021, in the first minute after the start of the election silence, an internet portal violated the election silence, contrary to the Electoral Code, by reporting live on the social networks and on the website about alleged activities of pre-election vote-buying in Ohrid.
In the live reporting, two persons who bring out content for several traditional and online media, pointed out members of a political party as organizers of alleged vote-buying. Although the party was not directly named, the two persons talked about its party colors and made a description with a clear depiction with which they revealed the identity of the indicated political party. This represents violation of the rules for media reporting during election silence and violation of Article 76-B of the Electoral Code.
Violation of the election silence is noted also by several other online media outlets that have published names of political parties or candidates, namely, photo or video content in which it is obvious which party or candidate it is about.
It is contrary to Article 76-B of the Electoral Code.
Kapistec, Skopje
Around 1 hour after midnight, CIVIL’s teams determined violation of election silence at several places in the Skopje neighbourhood of Kapistec. Flyers with propaganda content in the election context were hung on doors of many apartments in the buildings.
CIVIL’s monitoring disposes with photos and testimonies from citizens that confirm that it is a matter of violation of the election silence, an hour after it went into effect.
Social networks
Certain political parties violate the election silence in that some Facebook pages and profiles that are under their control carry out propaganda. Even though it concerns social networks that are not subject to strict legal provisions and concerns Facebook pages that are not officially under their competence, it is clear that it is a matter of propaganda in elections silence.
HATE SPEECH
During election silence, cases of hate speech against certain political entities are also noted. CIVIL’s analysis shows that it is about supporters and members of certain political parties that in an organized manner post messages and comments with hate speech against politically not like-minded. Some of the messages of the social networks contain calls for violence as well.
The monitoring also notes one case of a message with vulgar insults and hate speech against a representative of CIVIL, in a post on a Facebook page that is known as a creator of disinformation and hate speech.
But the attacks of this Facebook page against CIVIL do not stop here.
In a longer post on one Facebook page, known for its hate speech and disinformation and which openly leads a black campaign in favour of a certain political party, notorious untruths are expressed, manipulations, insulting speech on ethnic grounds, hate speech against representatives of the organization and threats against its observers.
The purpose of this extremely inhumane attack against a civil society organization for human rights is to put pressure on the organization and its members and to hinder its work, as well as to harm the reputation and trust that the organization enjoys in the public in the country and in the world.
VIOLATION OF THE SECRECY OF THE VOTE
CIVIL’s observers report a case of violation of the secrecy of the vote in a municipality in the eastern part of the country.
A voter, a person registered to vote on Saturday, October 30, was given a ballot, but was not allowed to vote secretly, with the explanation that this person “might photograph the ballot”. The person was allowed to vote at the entrance of the place in a manner that the member of the election board had complete insight into how the citizen voted.
How to report election irregularities to CIVIL?
Election irregularities such as pressure, vote-buying, abuses, problems with the Voters List, violation of the election silence, hate speech, namely, everything that citizens believe is not in accordance to their understanding of free, fair and democratic elections, can be reported to CIVIL.
Reports can be submitted on the website slobodniizbori.info or in a Citizen application, which can easily be found by clicking on the banner Stop fake news and hate speech on the internet portal civilmedia.mk.
In addition, irregularities can be reported at the following email ([email protected]), in a message on CIVIL’s Facebook page or at the following telephone numbers: 02 / 5209 176 (on Sunday, from 7.00 am) and 070 699 580 (Saturday, October 30, from 12.30 pm).
Reporting election irregularities to CIVIL
Election irregularities such as pressure, vote-buying, abuses, problems with the Voters List, violation of the election silence, hate speech, namely, everything that citizens believe is not in accordance to their understanding of free, fair and democratic elections, can be reported to CIVIL.
Reports can be submitted on the website slobodniizbori.info or in a Citizen application, which can easily be found by clicking on the banner Stop fake news and hate speech on the internet portal civilmedia.mk.
In addition, irregularities can be reported at the following email ([email protected]), in a message on CIVIL’s Facebook page or at the following telephone numbers: 02 / 5209 176 (on Sunday, from 7.00 am) and 070 699 580 (Saturday, October 30, from 12.30 pm).
Information that is sent to CIVIL should be accurate and reliable, with all necessary data. Photos and audio/video recordings obtained in an unlawful manner – are not accepted.
PRESS CONFERENCES AND COMMUNICATION WITH THE PUBLIC
CIVIL for the day of the voting in the second round of elections, Sunday, October 31, has announced live programs, with five editions of Election Report during the day, at 10.00 am, 12.00 pm, 3.00 pm, 5.00 pm and at 7.01 pm (immediately after the closing of the polling stations). In the 5.00 pm edition, part of the long-term observers from the ground are planned to be included.
At the first press conference of CIVIL, at 10.00 am, the report from the monitoring of the election silence in the country will be announced.
All press conferences will be broadcast live on CIVIL’s Facebook page and YouTube channel. If there is a need, or at the request of the media, there will also be extraordinary live broadcasts from CIVIL’s press studio. Links for joining through the Zoom platform will also be available for journalists.
With strict compliance to the measures for protection against COVID-19, CIVIL will be open also for physical presence of news teams (a maximum of three at the same time). CIVIL’s press center is located in the “Paloma Bjanka” Business Center and will start to work at 9.00 am, with the preparation for the first press conference at 10.00 am.
CIVIL ON THE GROUND WITH ALMOST 300 MOBILE OBSERVERS
CIVIL will be present on the ground with almost three hundred mobile observers, and during the entire day, starting from 6.00 am and up to midnight, the offices will be open where 30 people will work in four teams: monitoring coordination, receiving and processing of reports from observers, analytics and public relations.
