CIVIL – Center for Freedom is expressing its repulsion and strong condemnation of the acts of violence in Skopje and throughout other cities in Republic of Macedonia. It is precisely the power structures that are still in control, whose senior representatives are under investigation for serious crimes, criminal association, serious abuses and electoral fraud, who are responsible for the hate speech and calls for ethnic and political violence in the country.

The criminal structures are once again trying to cause unrests and violence motivated by ethnic hatred and political divisions. They are risking the security and stability of the entire country, with one single purpose – to avoid justice and prevent restoration of democracy and the rule of law in the Republic of Macedonia.

CIVIL recognizes the handwriting of the authors of this scenario. Public calls for violence have been made precisely by the highest representatives of the ruling party, while the actions of their coalition partners and accomplices in the criminal ruling do not lag behind them in deepening of the crisis and stimulating or enabling tensions.

Blood has been shed and people have ended up in hospitals. Journalists who are doing their jobs of informing the public are getting beaten up. This is unacceptable and it has to stop immediately!

Therefore, CIVIL is urging the Ministry of Interior to take urgent measures and actions to prevent an escalation of violence, and to carry out a decisive action for tracking down both the organizers and inspirers, as well as the perpetrators of violent acts, and to bring everyone one of them, with no exception or selection, to justice. Let us remind the MOI on the days when it poured heavily armed and armored police forces on protesters who were really peacefully protesting and demanding freedom, justice and democracy. The security at the protests, which have been preceded by open calls for violence, is pretty scarce these days. What’s the point? We remind the Ministry of Interior that the absence of an appropriate legal response is equal to complicity, perhaps even to stimulating violence, for which one day it will be held responsible.

We urge all citizens of Republic of Macedonia to condemn the violence and sowing of fear and hatred, regardless of which side it comes from. We call upon all mindful and conscientious citizens to contribute towards restoring peace and order in the country, and to keep calm during these difficult moments of this last, dark episode.

CIVIL is inviting all citizens who are concerned about the situation to share information, videos and photos that could provide disclosure and prevention from further escalation.

We urge parents not to allow their children to get involved in the spiral of violence from which there is no return and is something with which their children and they themselves will have to bear for the rest of their lives.

We urge citizens of our common country not to succumb to manipulations. Do not fall to calls for a false defense of something that is not an issue, because neither the language, identity or history are the issue, but rather the issue is yet another attempt to distract the attention of the disgraceful disclosure of criminal structures in our country.

Members and supporters of the ruling parties, public administration employees, farmers, beneficiaries of state assistance, pensioners, should all know that they do not owe anything to anyone, and should not allow for themselves to be human shields and an instrument for the defense of crime. There is no reason to hate anyone, and much less to defend those who have gained wealth through abuse and theft of public goods. It is clear as a day that a handful of criminals who robbed the country and lived devil-may-care lives on the account of the poor people, now want to drag those same people in a bloody scenario.

We call on conscientious community leaders and on the thoughtful individuals and structures in all political parties, regardless of which side of the political pallete they are from, to come out with a condemnation of violence and to take steps towards peaceful resolution of the situation.

Beating of journalists and innocent bystanders is not only a serious crime, but it is also an utterly immoral and cowardly act!

To demand freedom, justice and democracy is a dignified human duty and responsibility, not treason. To beat up, hate and defend crime – that is treason!