PETRIT SARACINI
In the first continuation of this research, we wrote that “Aksios 2017” again appears in these local elections as an observation organization, which does not have a website, or contact telephone number, nor does it transparently publish data on its funding. The organization announced a call for observers a month before the elections, which is far from enough for conducting selection and training of over 500 accredited (of 800 announced) observers, at least according to the experience of organizations that have been observing elections for years.
Let’s remind, CIVIL observers had unpleasant experience with this organization in the previous elections, when, according to the report, an observer of AKSIOS 2017, then president of the municipal committee of VMRO-DPMNE in Sveti Nikole, told the observers of CIVIL and MOST they shouldn’t be at the polling station, because they had been “partisan”.
Aksios replied to the questions of CIVIL Media, without answering the questions
In addition, it is also surprising that this organization, apart from pre-election monitoring, also publishes pre-election surveys with an unclear methodology, which is contrary to the good practices for professional and impartial election civic observation.
Following the publication of the first part of this research, answers to the questions sent by CIVIL Media to this organization were received, and precisely from the email address that is indicated in the document with data from AKSIOS 2017 that we received from the Central Registry, and not from the one that is used in the public call for these elections. This confirms that the information of CIVIL Media for this organization were correct.
We asked AKSIOS about the announced 800 observers, quite a large operation that requires significant funding. We asked who finances the election observation of AKSIOS 2017, if the organization has conducted training of the observers to be deployed at polling stations at the elections, and when? At the same time, we asked why they don’t have a website and publically accessible data on their work and whether they plan to open a website, so that the public can get to know them.
For the surveys, since there is no available data, we asked who the managers are and which researchers are engaged for the preparation of the methodology and processing of the results, and because in both of the surveys of AKSIOS 2017, data is lacking on the manner in which respondents were surveyed (field survey, telephone survey and so on), we also asked about the methodology.
But in the response from AKSIOS 2017, most of the questions are not answered, but rather what was delivered to the public as part of the few scanty announcements is repeated.
“The civil society organization AKSIOS 2017 Skopje will observe the upcoming local elections with about 500 observers-volunteers who have voluntarily applied for the public call published on 16.09.2021 on the FB page “GO TO VOTE”.
In general, it concerns experienced observers who in several election cycles have been part of our observation mission. This time, classic training was not organized due to the current Covid crisis, but the latest flyers and guidelines from the State Election Commission wereprovided to them.
The civil society organization AKSIOS 2017 Skopje has in recent period informed the media on all current and planned activities, and will further continue with regular communication with the them, and the public will be informed on all activities timely and regularly”, is said in the response of AKSIOS 2017 to CIVIL Media on October 15, 2021.
In the response, questions on who finances the election observation of AKSIOS 2017 are not answered and why there is no data on the internet about their work, which is a legal obligation for every civil society organization. We also didn’t receive an answer as to who the managers and researchers of the organization are, or about the methodology of the survey. The organization, in its reply, admits that it did not conduct training of the election observers.
Let’s remind, the practice of civil society organization that have been for years monitoring this process is completely different. Zlatko Dimitrioski from the Citizen Association MOST pointed out that transparency and accountability of observation organizations in terms of the activities and financing is especially important.
“Of course, regular and precise informing on the findings, as well as providing transparent information to the supporters of the project”, said Dimitriovski for CIVIL Media.
Surveys without authors, with guiding questions and an unclear methodology?
On October 3, 2021, results of anAKSIOS survey were published in several media outlets and portals, according to which VMRO-DPMNE leads over SDSM and other parties competing in the elections.
“The AKSIOS institute, in the period 24.09 to 28.09.2021, carried out an analysis of the public opinion on a stratified sample of 1215 respondents on the territory of the Republic of North Macedonia. ‘The survey is conducted for the needs of the institute and in the following period we will publish the other research for the local elections in 2021. The statistical error of the survey is about 2%’ – is said by the competent in AKSIOS, reports Press 24.
The survey has no client, no details about the manner of surveying and about the methodology (by telephone, on the ground and so on). Guiding and unclear questions are noticed in the survey.
Such are, for example, the questions “Do you think that SDSM and their coalition are The Best? (in relation to a slogan of SDSM for the local elections)”, to which according to AKSIOS 2017 10.7% of the respondents answered affirmative, and the question “Would you agree that a new future should be Created? (in relation to the slogan of VMRO-DPMNE for the local elections)”, to which according to AKSIOS 2017 59.3% answered affirmative.
From these questions, for example, the portal Press 24 drew a conclusion in a title that according to the “Survey of AKSIOS”: 59.3% support for VMRO-DPMNE, and 10.7% saidfor SDSM”.
Text of Press 24 about a survey of AKSIOS, source: website of Press24.mk
On October 10, 2021, AKSIOS delivered another survey to the media which, according to the published, was conducted in the period October 2 to October 6, 2021 “on a stratified sample in each municipality and the City of Skopje in Republic of Macedonia, separately in regards to the demographic environment and number of residents in the municipality/City of Skopje”. The survey was orderedby the “Institute for Sociological Research LOGOS” on a sample of 1.345 respondentson the territory of the entire country, with a statistical error of 2 percent.
The results of AKSIOS’s second survey again give advantage to VMRO-DPMNE. More than 12 media articles, among which from Sitel, mms.mk, Plusinfo, Kurir, Republika, Netpress, Lider, Denesen, Press24, Pressing, all published the results of this survey.
In this one as well, it can be noticed that there is a lack of information on the methodology according to which the survey was carried out.
(continues)
Translation: N. Cvetkovska
