CIVIL submits complaint for early start of the election campaign

CIVIL – Center for Freedom informs the public that it has submitted a complaint to the State Election Commission for violation of the Electoral Code. It concerns the case with presidential candidate Gordana Siljanovska – Davkova and the political party VMRO-DPMNE, who on 24.03.2019 held an organized public event in Stip where the campaign participant was presented, which represents an early start of the election campaign, contrary to the Electoral Code.

According to Article 69 of the Electoral Code, as an election campaign is considered public gathering and other public events organized by the campaign participant, public display of posters, video presentations in public areas, electoral media and internet presentation, dissemination of printed materials and public presentation of confirmed candidates by official election bodies and their programmes. The election campaign commences 20 days prior the Election Day and in the first and the second round of election cannot continue 24 hours before elections and on the Election Day.

Despite that according to Article 8 paragraph 2 of the Electoral Code, prohibition for holding public events particularly does not refer to giving a public statement of a public official or a candidate for a public official, in the specific case it is not just a matter of giving a statement by a presidential candidate, but of promoting the candidate, and it is not a matter of a rally, in the absence of a precise legal term for the usual public event, organized by campaign participants. Even though the event was organized in the premises of the VMRO-DPMNE Municipal Committee, citizens had knowledge that presidential candidate Gordana Siljanovska – Davkova would be presented at that place.

Because of these reasons, CIVIL demanded from the SEC, in accordance with their competencies, to investigate the claims, to act upon the complaint no later than 7 days from the day the complaint was submitted, and to inform the organization about the actions they will take. CIVIL submitted the complaint electronically on April 1, and in printed form on April 2.