Full Coverage: Macedonia (FYROM)

27.06.2006 The informal coalition of several Bitola-based youth NGOs reacted on the decision of the Ministry of Culture to rent the space at the Bitola Cultural Centre and the “Army Club” for non-cultural purposes.

27.06.2006 The financing of election campaign is the main source of any future corruption and should be made as transparent as possible, to avoid a situation in which the anonymous financiers will come to the political parties and demand favours in return for the support. Only a faction of the political parties have publicly disclosed their sources of financing and their greatest supporters in the business sector.

23.06.2006 The “Lisica” Environmental Association from Dolno Lisice demanded apology from Minister of Environmental Protection Zoran Sapuric and accused the Ministry of gross neglect of the interests of citizens and inaction in several cases of release of pollutants into the environment that took place over the past several weeks.

22.06.2006 The Macedonian Green Centre (MGC), in cooperation with six environmental NGOS – Eko-Svest, Proaktiva and Eko.net from Skopje, Biosfera from Bitola, IO Krste Jon/Zelen Centar from Struga, and Green Power from Veles – started the “Vote Nature!” Campaign.

22.06.2006 The informal coalition of five civic associations from Bitola protested the ignorant treatment they receive from the National Agency for Youth and Sports, and condemned the direct attempt at manipulation of the youth population of Bitola within the election campaign.

20.06.2006 The Macedonian Network for Reduction of Drug-Abuse (MNRDA), led by non-governmental organizations “Trust” (Doverba), “HOPS-Healthy Living Options Skopje”, and “Pasage”, protested the suspended process for dispersion of centres for prevention and treatment of drug-addicts in Skopje. The organizations claim that the continued postponement of the opening of the centres further jeopardizes the health of a huge number of addicts.

15.06.2006 The Publishing Programme of the Foundation Open Society Institute Macedonia FOSIM, presented the Annual Award for Best Book Design to “Ekokrater” Civic Association from Kratovo, for its Kratovo Tourist Guide. The Presentation ceremony was held at the NGO Infocentre in Skopje.

15.06.2006 Representatives and leaders of 36 political parties in Macedonia signed the Code of Behaviour for Free and Fair Parliamentary Elections. The signatories promised to their opponents, but also to the citizens, that they will abide to the provisions of the Code and that they accept their share of responsibility for free and fair elections.

13.06.2006 The Macedonian Association for Free Sexual Orientation – MASSO presented the results of the questionnaire on the preparedness of political parties to include the LGBT related issues in their Election Platforms.

07.06.2006 The MOST Civic Association appealed today to all participants in the 2006 Parliamentary Elections to adhere to the legislation that regulates the electoral processes and to maintain the positive campaign climate.

05.06.2006 The “Macedonian Student Union-MSU” came out with public statement today, to react to the meeting that Prime Minister Vlado Buckovski held with the representatives of the Students Union at the “Sv. Kiril i Metodij” University (SSUKM) and the State Student Centre.

05.06.2006 The latest survey implemented by the Centre of Civil Communications shows that the corruption in the area of construction reaches to the highest levels of local and central Government. According to the survey, the construction of the more than 10,000 illegal buildings in Macedonia, built since 2000, involve corruption in several stages – from the actual building to the ultimate legalization.