ELECTION REPORT #14: Black campaign continues, the polls – a propaganda weapon

Live from CIVIL’s press studio, 12 October 2021, 11:15 am

In the third, final week of the election campaigning, hour by hour, we see just more of the same. Gatherings, rallies, presenting of candidates and – much less – candidates, presenting of programs and promises, some feasible, and even more hardly feasible or unfeasible. And – the unavoidable – black campaign.

ANOTHER VIOLENT INCIDENT

CIVIL contacted Gjorgje Bozhinov, candidate for mayor of the Municipality of Novo Selo from VMRO-DPMNE, who denied and rejected the accusations that members/supporters of his party are behind the incident. At the same time Bozhinov strongly condemned the act of vandalism that took place. So far, this is the fourth violent incident that has been noted in the editions of “Election Report”: the bomb in Shuto Orizari, the shooting in Cair, the fight and destruction of advertising material in Gradsko.

CIVIL’s monitoring, certainly, notes other smaller incidents that even though have not been included in the Report, surely will be part of the report that we will be presented on October 15 (Friday) at 12.30 pm on the organization’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

THE POLLS – A PROPAGANDA WEAPON

Yesterday was the last day when, according to the election rules, results of public opinion polls and surveys could be published. This election year too, notes a large number of polls that have such unclear clients and with an even less clear methodology.

CIVIL has long concluded and in many occasions alerted the public that some of the polls that are being published in the public, ahead of the election processes, serve the least as public information, and the most as another weapon of the arsenals of the propaganda.

Therefore, the organization advises citizens, like in the case with disinformation, also with the case of certain polls, to pay attention to the sources and methodologies used in implementation of the polls. Furthermore, attention should also be paid to the media sources in which, often, the interpretation of results from surveys does not correspond to the real results.

BLACK PROPAGANDA CONTINUES

The black propaganda with disinformation and hate speech continues. In that context is also the extremely unfitting “performance” of the agile dozen members of Levica in front of the Mound of Unbeaten in Prilep, on the occasion of October 11, National Uprising Day.

This violent act was used for yet another wave of hate speech on the social networks and in some media outlets.

CIVIL adheres to the strong expressions of condemnation and rejection of such political actions and public communication, especially when it concerns state symbols and important dates for all citizens.

VIOLATION OF RECOMMENDATIONS AND PROTOCOLS FOR PROTECTION AGAINST COVID-19

Not to mention compliance to the recommendations and protocols for protection against COVID-19. CIVIL’s monitoring notes at least two cases of gross violation of the recommendations and protocols on a daily basis, in which it becomes obvious that some political parties, simply, are not concerned about the public health.

CIVIL ACTIVITIES

SHORT LEGS A lot of disinformation and manipulation is noted in the reports of the long-term observers and CIVIL’s Monitoring Team. You will see a selection of the “best” cases in the entertaining show for revealing the notorious lies and manipulation “Short Legs” with colleague Petrit Saracini and CIVIL MEDIA’s team.

TRAINING Tomorrow, October 13 (Wednesday), at 5.00 pm, an online training seminar will be held for the short-term observers, as a continuation of the training seminars that started last weekend in Skopje.

REPORT Friday, October 15, starting at 12 noon, CIVIL will present the Report of the long-term election monitoring and the organization’s recommendation, live, starting at 12.30 pm on the organization’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.

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Three and a half more days until the end of the election campaign, and then, at midnight on Saturday, October 16, election silence enters into force, which no one will comply to and the voting for women representatives and, unfortunately, far fewer women representatives of the local government, on October 17.

Xhabir Deralla, in cooperation with CIVIL’s Monitoring team
Camera: Atanas Petrovski
Realization: Arian Mehmeti

Translation: N. Cvetkovska