Employed members of the Union of Women of VMRO-DPMNE suffer strong party pressures and are threatened with penalties of 20 percent of salaries. To them their presence at the Annual Conference is imperative, which will be held on Sunday in Skopje, at which former Prime Minister and party leader Nikola Gruevski is expected to address the event.

Based on information that CIVIl received from the citizen journalists, directors of public enterprises and primary schools have been calling on employed members of the Union, according to previously prepared party lists.

“They are informing them that their presence at the Annual Conference of the Union of Women of VMRO-DPMNE is mandatory, whereas the women are giving their consent. Even though their transportation has been organized, they are all collecting 500 Denars per person in order to pay for their daily expenses in Skopje”, say sources of CIVIL.

This is further supported by the post that was published on the Facebook page of the president of one of the regional offices of the Union of Women

“On January 24 we are going to Skopje, to the Annual Assembly, for all those employed it is mandatory, and the others who wish to go should register”, recommends this member of the Union to her colleagues from the ruling VMRO-DPMNE.

This morning at around 10 am, a large convoy of busses left with the mobilized members of the Union of Women of VMRO-DPMNE from Prilep and the surrounding area.

[youtube width=”600″ height=”400″]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rSFEdw4C4s[/youtube]

This content is publicized within the first round of the contest “Be a Citizen Journalist” of the Civic Lenses Project by CIVIL, supported by the National Endowment for Democracy. The contents of this material is redacted by CIVIL Media in accordance to the concept of the project and the website.